The Most Dangerous Game
by Atlas Arrow
Summary: AU to Apocalypse Suite. Sir Reginald Hargreeves; inventor, millionaire, genius, leader of the Umbrella Academy, champion Fencer, protégée Sententia player. Some Vanya/Kraken and Rumor/Spaceboy.
1. Chapter 1

Fifteen years, three months, eight weeks, two days, fifteen hours, and two minutes before Sententia.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves stepped out of the helicopter onto a roof facing the ocean. He quickly signaled the pilot, and the blades slowly stopped rotating. With a measured pace he walked over to a table that had been elegantly laid out. He slid into the vacant chair.

Opposite him a woman folded her black gloved-hands together. She was dressed in a black evening gown, more suitable for a ball then for a breakfast meeting. Her dark hair had been swept up carefully in a complicated hairstyle. Diamond and pearl earrings as well as a matching necklace adorned her. She gave a thin lipped smile.

"Terribly sorry about coming late. Damned planes go about like they own the place. How long have you been waiting Lenore?" he asked as he lit a cigarette.

"Only five minutes," Lenore said, "and it's actually Lady Lenore. I was recently knighted."

"Didn't read about that."

"Generally when a person like I am knighted…they don't enjoy publishing it. No one likes speaking of the services rendered by someone like me."

"Damned liberals."

"Indeed."

For a few minutes neither of them spoke.

"So," she said.

"So," he agreed.

"Fifteen years we've been doing this, and we'll be doing it for at least another fifteen," said Lady Lenore, "I don't suppose I could persuade you to change your mind?"

"Not in the slightest. Would you want me to?"

"Of course not," replied Lady Lenore, "Tell me, how's your 'ace' coming?"

"Ah, that's against the rules Lenore," he chided, "I would no more tell you then you would tell me about your pet project."

"True enough," shrugged Lady Lenore, "Can't blame a girl for being curious. This whole experience has been edifying. But I will say that there have been some interesting highs and lows."

"Lows?" asked Sir Reginald as he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, we both have had our letdowns," she replied to his unasked question, "Tell me, has Seer-?"

"No," he said as he took another puff, "He has not quite reached his full potential no matter how hard I try. Quite a disappointment. It would've been interesting. But I am curious about your letdown."

"Since you told me that you lost your Traveler," she said, "I think I can tell you that a week ago I had to kill one. What could I do? He tried to escape. Such a shame really. But I have no need for those who won't follow my orders."

"Good riddance," agreed Sir Reginald an odd gleam in his eyes.

Lady Lenore laughed.

"I haven't forgotten," she smiled, "His body is in the lobby, all ready for dissection. His heart is missing but that couldn't be helped. I'll have some porters bring it up soon."

"That was terribly thoughtful of you."

"Don't mention it."

After some time Lady Lenore said;

"Well old friend, there should be quite the turn out. Not just from our people, but if this little planet catches wind of it…well…you've made your 'children' into quite the celebrities. You always did like the spotlight."

"It's more interesting here," he smiled.

"I find the shadows more so. Some of your inventions are particularly genius. The televator for example. But tell me, your Crispy Crunchy Cereal-," Lady Lenore picked up her spoon from a bowl and took a bite. Once she finished she said, "it tastes like sawdust and sugar."

"That's because it **is **sawdust and sugar," said Sir Reginald.

"Yet it is the leading cereal."

"Yes," he said, "It was an experiment. It appears that it is the sugar that counts while things that humans can actually digest are shunned."

"Hmmm," said Lady Lenore, "You and your little experiments. That's what started this whole thing you know."

"Can you say that I'm wrong?" he asked.

"Humans are…interesting," admitted Lenore, "Personally I'm tempted to just kill all of mine right now and forfeit. They're such a pain during this time in their little lives. Teenagers. Disgusting."

"I will agree with you on that," shrugged Sir Reginald, ".02 and .07 especially. Not to mention .06 is getting irritating."

Lady Lenore pushed the bowl away from her.

"Sometimes it makes me wonder why you bother at all," Lady Lenore sighed, "Not that I'm ungrateful though. I've always wanted to do this. And I've worked so very hard. I want to see the fruit of my labors."

"Speaking of which," said Sir Reginald as he put out his cigar, "We both know why I'm here."

Smiling Lady Lenore pushed him a folder. He flipped through it for a minute before nodding.

"This is probably a first in Setentia history," she said, "it's got everything except my project. Still though, in this and everything we've been more then fair to each other."

"Indeed," said Sir Reginald has he snapped the folder shut, "Been up to anything recently?"

"I had to order the destruction of a death cult. It had some interesting ideas. If they weren't all completely insane then I would've let them develop a bit more. Perhaps I would've even given them my patronage," Lady Lenore sighed, "But as it stood I simply had to put an end to The Orchestra Verdammten."

"Interesting name."

"Originality is getting scarcer these days," said Lady Lenore.

A communicator on Sir Reginald's coat lapel started to beep. Irritably he switched it on. After a few minutes he sighed angrily.

"There's been an emergency in Tokyo," he said, "We're going to have to reschedule this. I'll come back for the body later."

As Sir Reginald started to get up, he raised his eyebrow.

"Is your necklace supposed to be changing colors?" he asked.

Frowning Lady Lenore placed a black-gloved finger to her necklace.

"Is it glowing purple?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Oh dear."

"Is that bad?"

"Incredibly," sighed Lady Lenore as she sat back, "For it means that we will have to reschedule our next chat in Hell."

"Why is that?" asked Sir Reginald.

"I believe that someone has slipped a deatomizing bomb that's been locked onto my biological signature into my necklace," she shrugged, "Even if I threw it into the sea and ran to France it would still kill me. Unfortunately my biological signature is terribly similar to yours so it would appear we're both going to die quite soon."

"Remarkable," said Sir Reginald as he took another puff.

"If you go into the helicopter and leave now then you can probably get away. Your attachment is weak enough," she sighed, "I do suspect my little Reaper did this."

"They grow up so fast."

"I'm surprised that none of yours have tried to kill you yet."

"It's not for lack of trying," he said as he walked leisurely to the helicopter.

"Well then," said Lady Lenore as she smiled, "We can agree on one thing."

"And that is?" he asked.

"As the humans say; the kids are alright," smirked Lenore.

Both of them laughed. Sir Reginald got into the helicopter.

"See you on the other side," he said as it took off.

"Eventually," she called back.

The helicopter departed. For a minute she watched it go. Then slowly she got up and fingered her necklace. Out of the corner of her eye she could make out shadowy figures watching her.

"When the students have surpassed the teacher there is nothing left to teach," she murmured.

Then she put on her brightest smile and turned to face them.

"Well done."

Two seconds later the bomb went off. It was subtle, harming no inorganic or organic material other then Lady Lenore. There was no inquest into her death. There wasn't anything to examine anyway. The bomb destroying every single atom in Lady Lenore's body, not even leaving a pile of ashes. It was as though she had never existed. The figures cheered.


	2. Chapter 2

Eight months, one week, two days, seven hours, and thirty four minutes before Sententia.

Spaceboy liked the Moon. When he'd first set up permanent residence there about six years ago he'd missed the noise. Back at home there had always been noise. Even at night there had been noise. Someone always had insomnia in that house. If they didn't, then he'd be woken up by Kraken coming in at odd hours.

After the first week he had learned to enjoy the silence. It had been good and given him time to think. He had missed Pogo, but the more time he spent away from that house the better. Even he had ended up hating that house in the end. More and more he realized that he had been turning a blind eye to things that shouldn't have been ignored. Horror's death had started him down the road to wanting to leave. Rumor getting married had been the last straw. The Hargreeves were complicated.

So he tried to avoid thinking about his family when he could. Except at coffee time when the world was fuzzy. At those times he would stand, sipping his coffee and staring at a wall plastered with newspaper clippings. His eyes would always settle on the older ones from when they were children. When times were good.

After he finished his cup of coffee he would chuckle. It rarely turned into a full blown laugh, but that morning it did. He was still deluding himself wasn't he? Times had **never** been good.

.

.

.

"Don't worry about it. You'll love your first day of school," smiled Rumor as she kissed Claire.

Claire gripped onto her mother's hand tightly. She looked apprehensively at the school. Rumor's heart ached as she saw how scared her daughter was. She longed to keep her with her, but this was what kids did. Normal kids went to school, and so help her Claire was going to be normal.

"Have a good day. Tell me all about it, alright?"

Reluctantly Claire let go of her mother's hand. She kept looking back before she finally disappeared into the school. Smiling a sad smile Rumor took a cab instead of walking the fifteen blocks back to her house. This was her life now, and she was content. To a point anyway. Her marriage wasn't going so good, but that would work itself out.

Of course, the last fight hadn't really been her fault. It had happened a week ago. Patrick had complained that his new fillings were giving him trouble all day; the dentist said that he didn't need pain killers, and he refused to help her get ready for his dinner party. So it hadn't really been her fault that she had thrown that plate at him when he got angry that it wasn't ready yet. At least Claire had been at a friend's house then.

Unlocking the door to the house Rumor strengthened her resolve to control her temper around from now on, for Claire's sake if for nothing else. She wasn't the kind of woman to get angry and throw fits. That's what she liked to believe. That woman had been left behind with her powers and her mask. Her name wasn't The Rumor anymore. It was Allison Churchill, housewife and mother. That was what she wanted.

As she came in she nearly tripped on a pair of red stilettos. Giggling was coming from the kitchen. The door, which had never been closed before, was now. Hands clenching into fists she threw open to door to the kitchen. Patrick looked up and so did the bottle-blonde in his lap. Both of their amused faces turned to surprise. Patrick's lips hunted for words for a few seconds. Then he said;

"I want a divorce."

For a minute Rumor looked from him to the blonde, then back to him. Finally she said;

"I heard a rumor that new filings occasionally come loose and embed themselves into your facial bones, thus breaking your jaw."

.

.

.

.05 lit up another cigarette. It had been a long day of time corrections and he was tired. After this meeting he was planning on taking it easy, he'd probably only go to three or four clubs. .05 really didn't know why he bothered. The whole thing was losing its excitement, the flavor.

He nodded in acknowledgment when his boss came into the room. .05 only half paid attention to the slides that he was going through. Other things were on his mind, more importantly why his work didn't bother him. Most of those deaths made other people throw up as soon as they saw the corpses. Not only did he not flinch, but he'd done them in the first place. The issue wasn't a concern exactly. It was more like a curiosity. He'd figure it out one day.

".05," he boss said, "your next mission is of vital importance. As usual, the reasons for this correction are highly confidential. You are going to be given the bare essentials in the information field though, once again as usual."

Putting out his cigarette .05 leaned back in his chair. His grunt displayed his lack of enthusiasm.

"You should be excited," his boss said as he gestured with his arms, "Your next job will answer the famous question, who shot J.F.K?"

The next slide came on. .05 grinned as he saw his target.

"Looks like I did."

.

.

.

"-so then, and this is the really funny part," chortled Séance, "he says to the barman, 'I **am **the Pope'!"

Séance let out a roaring laugh. The person he was next to in Shinyveiw didn't laugh though. That might've been because he was comatose, but that had never stopped Séance. He stopped laughing abruptly as he heard footsteps. If he didn't watch himself then they'd put him in another straight jacket. Those things were incredibly itchy and it was impossible to scratch.

The ex-con whose name he thought was Harry came in with food. It was odd that he couldn't remember the name of the man who snuck him drugs once a week. Then again, there had been times where Séance had been convinced that he himself was an Albatross. As Harry handed the tray to him he grunted;

"Letter from your father."

Scrunching his face up Séance looked curiously at the envelope that had been placed on his tray. The paper was expensive, and the crest of the Umbrella Academy had been stamped where the return address should've been placed. Snorting he tore it open and read it. His confused face turned irritable, then downright livid. A few minutes later Harry threw a tray into the air, startled by Séance's furious scream of;

"THAT OLD BAT CUT OFF MY ALLOWANCE!"


	3. Chapter 3

Five months, one day, seventeen hours, and two minutes before Sententia.

Just before dawn a silhouette showed black against the sky line. Kraken balanced on the rungs of a water tower and tried to blink sleep out of his eyes. It had been a long week. He'd chased down at least thirty leads that had all been dead ends. All Kraken had to show for his efforts were a few fresh scars. All in all the whole thing had put him in a foul mood. Well, fouler then usual anyways.

The week had started out bad. First the Hospital had caught fire which led to it closing down, making it impossible to get health care. Small clinics were having a hard time keeping up. Then a series of kidnappings had come to Lupo's attention, who had brought it to Kraken's. Apparently women had been kidnapped for fifteen years all around the City area. Kidnappings happened all the time and they had seemed nothing more then the run of the mill unsolvable crimes. Recently all the women had shown up again, in one place no less. As corpses.

Construction workers had found them in the foundation of a building. They weren't just any corpses though. These ones were drained out husks. It reminded him of when he'd gone into the Tunnel of Terror when he was twelve at the local fair. This might seem like a weird things to compare, but there was a connection. Both places had mummies everywhere.

The second he saw the bodies he thought of a vampire. There had been no bite marks on the necks though. Deciding to keep the possibility of a vampire in mind he told Lupo that he'd look into it. That had been at the beginning of the week and nothing had happened since then. If Luck was a Lady then she was a bitch. At least for him anyway.

He'd been patrolling the rather shadier part of the neighborhood for hours. It had become obvious that nothing was going to happen though. He'd just have to jack it in for the night. Stretching his sore muscles he got ready to leave. Then he saw some movement that caught his eye.

A woman had pushed herself flat against the wall, looking around almost furtively. Two men were surrounding her, one in the not-so-casual lean against the wall. At fist Kraken had thought that there was some 'business' going on and thought nothing of it.

Then he realized that what the woman was wearing was way too covering for her to be a prostitute. Not only that but her hair was too short and combed in a way that obscured her face. Smirking to himself he started to slowly scale down the wall and make his way over.

"So all I'm saying," one of the men said in a menacing way, "That you should come with us."

The woman hissed something under her breath. Both of the men laughed.

"Look lady," the other man said, "We can do this the hard way, or the easy way. Which do you prefer?"

The woman threw her hand out revealing a can of mace. The first one got a full blast of it in his eyes and howled in pain. In spite of himself Kraken was relatively impressed. He didn't know that anyone could get mace anymore. This woman had obviously decided to break the law and get it anyway. Nice.

The next man was smart and ducked the onslaught of the chemical burner. He grabbed her ankle and jerked it. The woman cried out. The man quickly got back up and stepped down hard on her ankle. The woman gave another cry. Kraken was almost there.

"Little bitch," the man snarled before stomping down on the ankle again.

Her foot by this time was facing entirely the wrong way. She looked up again, as if trying to get out, before collapsing unconscious on the pavement. Her head hit the pavement hard. That would bruise. Straightening his jacket the man looked to his comrade, still howling in pain.

"That's how it's done," he said smugly.

"No," said Kraken as he dropped down, "**This **is how it's done."

The man turned around to get a face full of knife. Shouting angrily the man pulled a gun out. He was just about to fire when Kraken's fist made it through his rib cage. With a gurgle of blood the man collapsed on the pavement. Kraken wiped his hand on the man's jacket.

He turned around to face the other assailant. Kraken blinked in surprise. The man was running away. Cowardly bastard.

"Get back here!" Kraken growled.

He was just about to run after him when he heard a soft moan from the woman. Abruptly he stopped. That woman wasn't going to get far on that foot and this was a very bad part of town. He wasn't going to be able to go after the man and save her. He let out a growl of frustration. Damn him and his bleeding heart.

Leaning down he got ready to pick up the unconscious woman. As he did so her hair shifted and he got a good look at her face for the first time.

"Vanya?" he whispered.

Luck really was a bitch.


	4. Chapter 4

Four months, two weeks, twelve days, four hours, and thirteen minutes before Sententia.

"So Mr. Adams," a hooded man snarled, "you failed to get a girl?"

The man who had been maced the night before shifted nervously.

"Yes," he admitted, "but Reaper-"

"Then I'm afraid that your usefulness has expired."

Before the man could even scream a blade shot out. It skimmed the air by his heart. For a minute it seemed like nothing had happened. Then the man slowly sank to his knees and fell to the ground.

"May the record show that Mr. Adams died of a heart attack. His family does not get benefits," said Reaper coolly.

"You really can't get good help these days," sighed another man as he walked in, his hair ruffled and unkempt.

"It's a delicate matter Arkady," The Reaper said, "We're running out of time and these fools keep screwing up. They don't understand how important this is. Disgusting really."

"Well," Arkady said, "why don't you let me go and get one? You know that I won't fail."

The Reaper looked at the man speculatively for a minute.

"Do you think that's wise?" he asked, "The bitch's enemies are still looking."

"Well then they won't be looking for me to go out then will they?" asked Arkady, "Come on, Cat's running out of time. We can't risk another botched job."

For a minute Reaper stared off into space. Then he said;

"Very well. But be safe. If something goes wrong then I don't want to lose another brother."

"Don't worry about it," Arkady smirked.

.

.

.

Vanya woke up with a moan. For a minute she tried to figure out where she was. The room just wouldn't stop spinning. Moaning again she tried to shift on the bed. A dull pain in her head started. Tentatively she raised a hand to her head. There was definitely a bruise forming. Where had she gotten that from? Vanya frowned as she tried to remember.

All too soon the memories of the previous night came back. She sat bolt upright, trying to figure out what to do. When she did so a sharp pain pulsed through her leg. Vanya had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. Yes, that was right, something was wrong with her ankle. More gingerly this time she pulled herself up to have a look at it. She was surprised to see that it had been bandaged up with a surprising amount of professionalism.

Further inspection revealed that her foot had been propped up. The lights were dim and artificial, so she had absolutely no idea if it was day or night. Images of the nine o'clock news of what happened to women who had been kidnapped started to come into her mind. Forcing them out she took a deep breath through her nose in an attempt to calm herself. She nearly gagged.

The whole place had reeked of damp from the moment she woke up. However, the smell hadn't actually managed to hit her full throttle until a few minutes ago. She hadn't smelt something this bad since she had watched her siblings fight the Great Sewage Beast of '89. Then she realized where she was. The sewers. Perfect. Angrily she clutched her nose. Breathing through her mouth was the only way to get any decent air in.

"It does take some getting used to," Kraken said casually.

.

.

.

"Why do you have to go?" asked Claire desperately.

Rumor kneeled down to her daughter's height so that she could be eye-level. She looked at those eyes, so full of innocence and uncomprehending. How were you supposed to explain to a child that her parents weren't together anymore? How about trying to explain that the house was in Patrick's name so she had to leave?

Even better, the fact that it looked like Patrick was going to get full custody of Claire? Rumor hadn't used her powers in years. Now the one time she did Patrick was claiming it was assault and that she had a violent temper. He was saying she wasn't fit to raise her daughter. How were you supposed to say that? Deciding it was better to keep things simple she just said;

"Because sometimes parents have to do things that they don't want to."

Instead of answering Claire threw her arms around her mother.

"Don't go," she begged.

A few tears squeezed out of Rumor's eyes. She choked the rest of them back with difficulty. Gripping her daughter tightly she whispered;

"I'm sorry, but I have to."

.

.

.

Two hours and he would be shooting J.F.K. Not a bad job in all considerations, one that was actually pretty good by his standards. On his way through the lobby he passed by his least favorite co-workers, Hazel and Cha-Cha. He wrinkled his nose. As usual they were covered with blood and smelled of sugar and intestines.

"-I'm telling you," he heard Cha-Cha say, "People don't come like they used to. They are dying far too quickly."

"That's because you take out the liver first!" Hazel answered, "I keep telling you to go for the tonsils."

.05 rolled his eyes in disgust. Both of them were amateurs, nowhere near as good as he was. They both went off into the future and he put them quickly out of his mind as he walked past his superior's office. Frowning thoughtfully he stopped. There were things he wanted to know, things he had been wondering about. The boss wasn't in. He supposed that tonight was as good as any.

Looking around he made sure that no one was watching. Then he made a quick micro-jump into the future. In no time at all the window to the office was broken, the door open, and the cabinets riffled through. What he found would've shocked him, if he could've been shocked.


	5. Chapter 5

Four months, three weeks, twenty two days, nine hours, and fifty four minutes before Sententia.

"Just like I promised," the man said as he gestured to an unconscious woman.

Reaper smiled as he came up and looked at her.

"Excellent Ark," he said as he turned on a small communicator by his ear, "Helene, would you bring Cat out please? We've got her replacement."

An unintelligible reply came back on the communicator. He switched it off with another smile.

"Check her medical records?" he asked.

"Duh," Arkady said as he spread his hands out, "She hasn't even had a filing all her life. Perfect shape and youthful too. Now if we can just get Cat to go along with it-"

He stopped speaking as Helene came in supporting a young woman. The woman's hair was dead and dragged on the floor. Her skin clung almost desperately to her bones. This wasn't obvious in anywhere but her face, because other than that she was completely covered. She even wore gloves. Cat giggled.

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid sir," she said, "because I'm not myself you see!"

"Cat?" asked the second man.

She looked up at him and giggled again.

"Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin," she said, "but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!"

"I tried to stop her," she moaned, "but she keeps sneaking drugs when I can't see. I'm sorry."

Reaper took a deep breath.

"How much?"

"I think Cat's been on heroine for weeks. Whenever I ask her she says-"

"I could tell you my adventures -beginning from this morning," said Cat, "but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

Helene shot a helpless look at Reaper.

"Cat," Reaper said gently, "we're going to move you now. You need a change. Now just touch the girl over there, okay?"

Almost immediately Cat's face went from detached to downright terrified.

"No," she whispered, "I just got the screams to stop, please no!"

"Cat," said Reaper firmly.

"NO!" she screamed as she tried to break from Helene's grasp.

"God damn it!" snapped Reaper.

He grabbed her arm. Cat instinctively flinched but he pulled her forwards anyway.

"Please Neil, please!" Cat begged.

Ignoring her he yanked off her glove and threw her hand on the woman's forehead. In almost a flash the space formerly occupied by Cat was the husk of a brunette, near mummified. The unconscious woman now had long black hair. Reaper picked her up bridal-style.

"I'm taking Cat to bed now," he said.

"Impressive," said a woman as she walked into the room.

Arkady and Helene tensed as they glared at the woman. Reaper held Cat tighter.

"Who the fuck are you and how did you find us?" he snarled.

"Tsk tsk," the woman said, "You are actually quite easy to find. As for who I am, I am Georgiana Lockwood. But you can call me Georgiana. I am what you could call a…solicitor. You see, I was a friend of your mother's."

.

.

.

Kraken had never been terrible talkative. So Vanya shouldn't have been surprised that he said very few words to her. After all the years that had passed between them she had expected an angry outburst at least. Instead he had coldly told her that she was at his hideout, what had happened, and that she couldn't be moved right now for lack of better medical care.

"If you really want to go somewhere else," he said, "Then I'll have to carry you again. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience on the way here, so I'd rather not."

There was a lot that they should talk about that he wasn't saying. There were so many questions that should be asked. Not just questions, but regrets, concerns, and anger. Vanya hadn't left the Academy on very good terms with any of her siblings, least of all Kraken. He hadn't wanted her to leave.

It had taken her months to realize that he didn't want to be alone in that damned house. After that she had wished she could say something to comfort him. However, by that time she had realized that she couldn't go back. She had left for good and Hargreeves wouldn't allow her back anyway. It wasn't as though she had tried very hard though. Then there was a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. It had used to come up whenever he was mad at her. Now it was near consuming her.

No, she really didn't want to talk at all. It would simply be too painful. She was glad he didn't want to. Or did he? Sometimes he got a look on his face that practically screamed he wanted to say something. Then his face would become unreadable again. It took awhile to realize that he wasn't talking because he knew she didn't want to.

That thought had shocked her. Vanya had never really been understood that well by anyone. To the kids at all of her schools she was a freak for being one of the Hargreeves. At home she was a useless girl who couldn't do anything. No one had ever given any sort of indication that they knew her well enough to read her. That thought made her feel happy. How odd.

In the hours that Kraken had gone out to do whatever it was he did at night she started thinking about her mixed feelings after seeing him. After an hour or so two things hit her. The first was the realization that she was in love with him. Back thens he had only been eighteen, quite young to know anything about the world and far too young to hold any sort of knowledge about relationships. She hadn't been really social so she couldn't have known then. So it sort of made sense that she realized it now even if it was twelve years after the event had actually occurred.

The second thing was the realization that he hadn't forgiven her. Twelve years had passed but he still held a grudge. If he couldn't forgive after twelve years then he most likely wasn't going to forgive her at all. Hence a very happy and a very sad thought were mixed together. Both of them were her fault. That was when she started crying.

.

.

.

Spaceboy frowned as he looked at the monitor. Flying saucers were gathering at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. He had sent them a code asking what they were doing there. The reply was almost instantaneous. They had claimed that they weren't there to fight or invade. When he asked what they were there for then the reply had taken several days. It had finally come a few minutes ago.

"Ben?" he called.

"Coming!" the robot called as he jogged up.

"Does this mean anything to you?" he asked as he tapped the screen.

The robot went up and looked at the screen.

"No idea," Ben answered.

"Neither do I," sighed Spaceboy, "That's what worries me."

Both of them turned back to the monitor. The reply was seventeen words;

"We're here before all the good seats are taken. We know it's early, but Sententia is popular."


	6. Chapter 6

Four months, two weeks, ten days, one hour, and sixteen minutes before Sententia.

Kraken leaned against the door frame. Angrily he thought about the past week. He hadn't gotten any leads on those murders and now another woman had gone missing. Her body had been found two days ago in the harbor. One week and nothing. Not one of his more stellar performances.

Vanya was sleeping. Her ankle was getting better which meant that she'd leave. Irritably he stroked the stubble on his chin. How stupid had he been to let her back into his life? He'd been happy when she woken up even if he didn't show it. Kraken liked the fact she watched him when he came into the room. In some perverse way he had even enjoyed holding her so close when he carried her. He didn't want to let her go.

That was why he didn't take her to the hospital when it opened up again. Kraken was angry at what was happening to him. Once again thoughts that were almost optimistic were creeping in. Before he'd shunned them. Those thoughts were hard to live with. He hated her for affecting him like that. He hated and loved her at the same time.

No matter what she'd leave tomorrow, she'd leave again. Almost angrily he stalked up to her. If memory served him correctly Vanya was a deep sleeper. Good. This way she'd never know. Taking in a deep breath he leaned down and paused just inches from her forehead. Softly he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"What are you doing?"

He jumped back like he'd been burned.

"Nothing, go back to sleep," he said as he turned away to hide his panic.

"You were-"

"I said **nothing**," he said sharply as he went for the door, "Now go back to sleep."

"Don't you walk away from me!" Vanya yelled as she got up and put her hand on his shoulder. Her ankle really was getting better.

Almost instinctively he grabbed her hand and twisted it behind her back. She cried in pain. Kraken could hardly believe he'd done it. Worse yet he found it difficult to let go without breaking her arm.

"Why did you kiss me?" she muttered.

"I didn't. You must've been dreaming," he said coolly, "Though I can't imagine why you'd do that."

Carefully Vanya turned her head so that she could look at him.

"Don't screw with me. Now why?" she said with an equal measure of ice.

"I didn't," he growled, twisting her arm a little tighter.

At first Vanya winced in pain. Then she looked at him speculatively. Angrily he glared back.

"I wonder," she murmured, a grin creeping onto her face.

"What?" he snapped. Her expression was pissing him off.

"I wonder what would happen if I did this."

His eyes widened as she leaned in and kissed him. His mind blanked. Where was he? What was his name again? When it came back online he realized he was kissing back, rather passionately. Quickly he jerked his head away. Maybe she hadn't noticed. His hopes fell when he saw her smug look.

"So you did," she smiled.

Angrily he released her and shoved away. She tripped over her own busted ankle and dropped to the floor. Kraken was too angry to care.

"Stop the damned games Vanya!" he shouted.

All of the cockiness leeched out of her face.

"I'm not playing," she said seriously.

"What?" he said, getting on his knees to make sure that he'd heard her right.

"I had to know," she said softly.

He didn't say anything as she moved forward and picked up his hand.

"Don't you want this too?" she murmured, "Don't you want there to be an us?"

"Of course I…" started Kraken as he grasped the significance of her words. His voice became harsh again, "You can't change twelve years in twelve minutes."

"I know," Vanya whispered, "but with more time… maybe we can. I…I'm sorry for what happened."

Anger was fast leaving him. He swallowed hard. He didn't want her to go; he wanted her to stay with him and never to leave. She wanted the same thing too. However, after last time he couldn't do this again. Kraken had to have restraint. He heard her sigh.

"I understand," she said, "but I want you to know that I…I…I do love you."

Fuck restraint.

.

.

.

Rumor sighed as she looked at her hotel room. It was only temporary. She was going to have to get an apartment soon. Oh yes, a job as well. Rumor hadn't had a job in years. Her accumulated allowances were still in her bank account, under the name 'The Rumor', but Allison Hargreeves had very little money to her name at all. She refused to touch her father's money.

She flopped back into a chair. How had it all ended up like this? Everything had gone south in a terribly small amount of time. Idly she glanced over at the photo album she had taken with her. Many of the pictures were of Claire. Some of them though, were of her wedding. She was too sentimental to get rid of them.

She remembered that day. It was hard to forget it really. Back then she realized that that day should've been the one to tell her not to marry Patrick. She'd been blind though. Blind to the fact that she was going from one misery into another.

Patrick had insisted that her family come. Oh, she hadn't wanted to invite them all. Perhaps she would've invited a few of them if the decision had been hers to make. Patrick's family said that they wouldn't pay unless her famous brothers and sisters came though. He'd been just as eager despite her protests. That should've been her first sign.

So she'd invited all of her siblings on the condition that her father wouldn't be invited. Patrick had agreed to that if not anything else for her special day. Rumor had actually liked the idea of Pogo walking her down the aisle. Thinking she had gotten her way, she sent out invitations. God, when she looked back on it now she realized just how stupid she'd been.

Space had tried to warn her. He'd done so when he'd met her downtown to tell her he was coming. He said that Patrick was no good for her and she'd see that soon enough. Angrily she had told him to spare his sermons. Besides, even if they weren't a perfect couple she thought that she had a rock solid reason to marry him. Claire had been on the way then. Not far along enough to show but long enough to know.

On the day of the event everything had started out a tad prickly. Everyone had come, she'd been careful to seat them away from all of the ones that they wanted to kill, but getting them to stay had been tricky. She'd known that Kraken wouldn't stay the whole service. He had told her as much when he said he'd come. Of course, she'd mentioned that Vanya would be coming to the day of. He took off like a shot.

Séance had come, if only for the free food. Pogo had too. He'd looked very nervous when he saw her. She found out why five minutes later when her father came. Patrick had invited him. Rumor had had to choke back rage as he walked her down the aisle. She'd had sympathetic looks from Pogo and Vanya, even if she didn't give a damn what her sister thought.

Sighing she thought of the reception. Someone had talked Vanya into playing the violin. Vanya'd tried to protest but then everyone had gotten in on it. So she'd gone up and played rather well. Afterwards Sir Reginald had said something to her. Soon after Vanya had left and Pogo had gone after her. Other than that the reception passed without incident. Well, she'd heard that Séance had thrown up in the punch after she'd left. That was a different matter all together though.

Angrily she got up and took the photo out of the album. Her lips curled up in a snarl of disgust. She should've just raised Claire alone. It would've been difficult but the results of the shotgun wedding were worse. If it had never happened then she would be with Claire right then. He wouldn't have been able to take her from her.

With fury building in her she started ripping the picture to shreds. Once she was done with that she ripped up all the other pictures of Patrick. Gathering up the bits she ran to the bathroom and flushed them. As she watched the pictures she started crying. Her life was quite like the remnants of the pictures. They had both gone down the toilet.


	7. Chapter 7

Three days, twenty three hours, and forty eight minutes before Sententia.

Stealthily Séance crept through the ventilation shafts. Once his allowance had dried up his funds for bribing staff had gone. Goodbye drugs. Without them Shinyview wasn't such a nice place anymore. He'd checked himself in for a good long period of rest and relaxation without his father nosily getting into his business and without ghosts bothering him every five minutes.

Then again there was Harry. The ex-convict had been deemed innocent by the court. The ghost who hung around him and occasionally threw things at him said otherwise. He was named Albert. While Albert made a good friend there were reasons why he wanted all the drugs. Without drugs to distort reality you could hear the screams. He hated high pitched noises.

So he'd gotten around to stealing them behind the staff's backs. In all reality he'd gotten it from their lockers. You'd be surprised what people at a mental hospital and rehabilitation center were taking. That was good though. Séance loved variety, as long as it made him see pretty colors.

It wasn't hard to filch as much as he'd wanted. He'd hid them in the ventilation shafts. Where were they…ah yes. His beautiful hypodermic syringes were there waiting for him.

"Hello my lovelies," he said, "Miss me?"

He slid some under his skin. Several puncture wounds already decorated the underside of his arm. It was a wonder that no one had noticed. Then again, for all of their P. none of the staff was terribly clever. Even that idiot brother of his who had run off when he was ten could outsmart them.

.

.

.

Sometime in the Stone Age .05 looked around, rather annoyed.

"Too damn far back," he muttered as cave men ran away from him screaming.

He sighed. His old job had paid well, and there had been many perks. For the last several years he had gotten up each morning with a smile on his face. Overall it was probably the best job in the world. So what if he was working with psychopaths? It would've been the same thing at home. So what if they had cut him open the minute they found him?

Actually he wasn't so upset about the cutting up bit. He loved the gift that they had given him. After they had finished he was better then he'd been before. .05 would've liked to have had his permission asked, but sometimes you just had to let things go. They had only gotten one thing wrong. According to their files he had no emotions anymore. .05 did have an emotion; indignation.

At that moment he was feeling a bucket load of indignation. For the love of everything putrid, he had run away from home to avoid being a pawn. Even from an early age he had had a loathing of being used for any cause. He thought that he'd been his own master as he corrected time. Now he found out he was being used as one all over again. Just peachy.

Revenge had been his first thought. First he went and sabotaged the idiots who thought that they could use him. Who shot J.F.K? No one, because he killed them all! Take that you stupid goldfish! He'd have liked to flush that arrogant son of a bitch. How he laughed once he'd done it.

After he finished he decided to fulfill his original mission; saving the world from his vision of destruction. It had been an educational experience, walking around a decimated world. Several things had caught his eye. One of them was the incredibly large amounts of spaceships crashed haphazardly about with banners on them that said "Beat 'em Sentinels!" or "Viva la Sentenia!" Even more disturbing he'd seen a "Go Umbrella Academy!"

All of those had yielded very little information though. He'd been adrift trying to find answers for years. In his desperation .05 had read _Extra Ordinary_ fifteen times. After a year he had found what he had been looking for. It was a bit of a newspaper article dated three days before what he figured was the end.

He looked at the clipping he had brought with him. On it there was a picture of what he assumed were his brothers and sister fighting figures mostly obscured by dark shadows. The headline was; NEW VILLANS OR EMERGING THREAT? It yielded no new clues as the rest of the paper had been blown away by whatever had destroyed the world in the end. Shrugging at it he tucked it back into his vest. Then he prepared for another jump.

.

.

.

"Everyone ready?" asked Reaper as he sharpened a curved blade.

"Born ready," Arkady answered, "The question is, should we bring Cat?"

There was silence for a minute.

"No," Reaper said quietly, "We'll leave Cat behind. Helene should stay with her, make sure she doesn't try to sneak anymore."

Both of the brothers looked over to her. She was lying on the couch, trying to catch invisible butterflies. Helene sat by her and shook her head from time to time.

"Athena?" Reaper called.

"At your service," Athena said as she walked into the room.

Looking at Cat she clicked her tongue.

"We have to get those drugs away from her."

"I'm doing the best I can!" Helene snapped.

"We're not blaming you," Reaper stated, "And nor are we blaming her. It's better if Cat wasn't on this one. She never had the stomach to do what needs to be done."

Smiling Cat turned around and laughed;

"They're dreadfully fond of beheading people here; the great wonder is that there's any one left alive!"

"Indeed," Reaper murmured, "A wonder."

.

.

.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves walked into his study. He brought up a match to his cigar. Cuban import. They were becoming increasingly difficult to get his hands on. Just like his 'children'. He snorted in disgust. At least none of them had called him father for the past ten years or so. Even Ben had stopped after awhile. He'd died two months later so he'd never been able to enjoy the effect though.

Sir Reginald had absolutely no idea where his adopted offspring were. Despite that he wasn't worried at all about getting them together again. Each one of them still had some sort of tie to one or more members. They would come if he could find an excuse, and he was knew he could. If bad came to worse he could always tell them the truth. Sir Reginald took a puff of his cigar. Casually he sat down. Everything was in place exactly like he'd wanted it.

Well, maybe not exactly how he'd wanted it. Across from him hung a portrait. He was in it and Lenore stood beside him, a parasol over one shoulder and looking haughtily disdainful. How long had Lenore been dead? It must've fifteen years. Too long really. He'd been looking forward to a game of Sententia with her as his opponent. All that had been ruined when she'd been murdered.

Oddly enough she'd been rather smug looking about it. To him it had seemed a damnably big miscalculation on her part. Then again Lenore was too clever to let some brats throw a wrench in her plans. Well, if her plans were a little skewed then that was her business. She had certainly done some rather interesting things with her pawns from what he'd read.

He still had the folder in his desk. Sir Reginald still studied it from time to time. Its contents were outdated but they probably still had their use. They still weren't as interesting as his own. Everything was so close to completion. All he had to do was wait for his visit from Georgiana. After that it would begin.

An odd noise came from outside. He looked sharply up. There was a draft from the French doors, indicating that they were now open. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw three shadowy figures, one of them with a scythe. He sighed. At least now he wouldn't have to play without Lenore on the other side of the board. As the one in front closed in his last words were;

"**Now** we're on a level playing field."


	8. Chapter 8

"Diego?" Pogo called as he descended down a ladder.

"What?" called Kraken irritably in reply.

Pogo took a look around the place. The last few hours had been the most stressful of his life. It wasn't enough that his life-long term employer died but a mere five hours later the prodigal son came back demanding to see him. Then he'd had to organize the funeral At least Rumor, Séance, and Spaceboy had already been alerted and were on their way. After that he had spent hours trying to hunt down Kraken. The sewers were the most likely place and he had gotten lost twice already. It certainly wasn't his idea of a good morning. Now that he had found Kraken he just had to find Vanya.

As he walked into what he supposed must've been the kitchen area he wondered about Vanya. All reports said that she had vanished from her apartment months ago. He hoped that she was alright. Turning to his right he saw Kraken leaning up against a counter. A police radio fizzled away in the corner as he methodically peeled an apple with his knife. In a gesture that surprised Pogo he was doing it over a garbage can.

"Some of us have sensitive noses to the rot down here," said Kraken as he followed Pogo's gaze, "So I'm trying to cut it down the amount of shit as much as possible. Now like I said; what?"

Kraken finished with the apple and stuck it on his knife before starting to chew it. Clearing his throat once Pogo said;

"I'm here to talk about your father-"

As soon as the word father was mentioned Kraken kicked a table near him. The table fell to the floor with a crash. One of the legs splintered off on impact. Small fragments of wood went flying in a cloud before settling on the floor.

"I take it this is not welcome news?" asked Pogo, although he knew that the question was a little redundant.

Wiping the dribbling apple juice from his chin Kraken spat;

"Whatever the fuck he wants you can tell him that he can go to hell. Understand?"

"Diego, if you would let me finish-"

"I'm not his fucking lapdog anymore-!"

"If you would just-"

"I told him as much and to leave me alone-!"

"Diego!" said Pogo, raising his voice a little, "Your father is dead."

Pogo tried to gauge Kraken's reaction. He had to admit that he did look out of sorts. After a few minutes Kraken took another bite of the apple. Once he was done he said;

"I thought he would never die. I always figured that he had never spread enough misery in the world and as his mission wasn't done so he couldn't go home."

"Home?" Pogo asked.

"Hell of course," snorted Kraken, "The demons must be happy now that Satan's returned to them."

"The funeral is tomorrow," continued Pogo, not shocked in the least by Kraken's reaction, "He plainly wanted everyone come and to do so in costume."

"I wonder how it feels to want from beyond the grave."

"I know that you and your father didn't get along-" Pogo started.

A harsh laugh from Kraken interrupted whatever Pogo was going to say. Vaguely Pogo wondered how many times he would be able to finish his sentences that day.

"I fucking hated him. I still do."

"It's a funeral," sighed Pogo, "Just come. And I hate to ask this but do you know where Vanya is?"

Cocking his head to the side Kraken was about to answer when a slightly far off voice called;

"I couldn't find any antiseptic. It seems that they're out."

"Just steal it from the hospital," shrugged Kraken.

"You know that **I** can't do that," Vanya said as she placed a bag on one of the counters, "If you want to get it that way then why don't you just steal it yourself?"

She turned around and stopped dead. To be honest it was hard to tell who was more shocked; Vanya or Pogo. That explained the garbage can. Vanya always did have a sensitive nose. Inwardly he smiled. At least something had turned out right.

"Pogo," she said, a smile coming to her face, "It's been years. I…"

She paused for a second.

"To hell with formalities," she said as she stooped down to hug him.

Her reaction didn't shock him. While he had always been closer to Space then any of them he had had the most sympathy for Vanya. The last time they had spoken had been at Rumor's wedding. After playing the violin Sir Reginald had told her that he was glad that she could still do **something **well. Pogo had had to go and try and help her dry her tears. She told him that she wanted to get away from the Academy more then anything. He pulled away, glad that at least she looked happy.

"So," she said, "Any reason for this visit or is it just spontaneous?"

Pogo was about to explain when Kraken said;

"Hargreeves kicked it and Pogo wants us to go to the funeral tomorrow."

A touch of anger and shock flooded into Vanya's face. Sir Reginald had never been popular with any of his adopted children.

"I was going to say it a tad more eloquently," sighed Pogo, "But yes."

Tongue between her teeth Vanya looked levelly at the ceiling. Pogo was watching her carefully in an attempt to figure out what she was thinking. He was shocked when he realized that Kraken was doing it too.

"Neither of you have to come," Pogo said carefully, "I will understand if you don't. If you do wish to though I might as well mention that .05 is back."

Even Kraken looked moved by this.

"What?" asked Vanya.

"He's back and he's a good deal more sociopathic then I remember him. He says that there's something he needs to tell you all. But like I said, it's your choice."

Vanya and Kraken looked at each other. He knew that he wasn't going to get an answer today. Just then the police radio said;

"All officers. Murderer Zombie King Necromancer Bob has been spotted on Twenty-second West avenue. Do not approach alone. I repeat, do not approach alone."

"That's my queue," said Kraken as he shook the apple into the trash can.

As he started up the ladder he paused.

"Pogo, don't get your hopes up for tomorrow. Vanya, I should be back by twelve at latest."

Before either of them could reply he was gone. Shaking his head Pogo turned to Vanya and said;

"He's an odd one, isn't he?"

Vanya gave him an exasperated look in return.

"I was worried about you Vanya," Pogo said, "You've been missing for quite a long time. When I inquired about you Lupo was reluctant to tell me why search efforts were so poor. I suppose this is why."

"Yeah," she said.

Looking down at the counter she said;

"Do you want some tea or something? Generally Diego's food choice sucks but I have a few things that are edible."

Pogo knew that he should refuse. There were many things to do back at the Hargreeves Manor. Taking one look at the hopeful look on Vanya's face told him that Ajihad could handle them though.

"Tea would be excellent."


	9. Chapter 9

One day, twenty hours, and thirty two minutes before Sententia.

"I spent the next fifty years trying to prove him wrong," explained .05, "As usual…it seemed he wasn't. I gave up, accepting my fate as a ghost among the ruins."

All of the Hargreeves siblings were standing in their old classroom, with the exception of Kraken. Vanya stood a little ways from the rest of her siblings. As much as she hadn't wanted to go Pogo had managed to convince her. Rumor and Space had given her surprised and curious looks when she arrived. From the way Rumor looked at herVanya could only guess that Pogo had told her about her and Kraken. Séance simply hovered in the corner and read an issue of _Vogue_. Then there was .05 going on and on.

In that house she felt worthless again. It was like she was eighteen, looking at all of her siblings that had obviously been doing things with their lives. Without Pogo there she felt like she was as transparent as a pane of glass. She wished Kraken were there. Then perhaps she wouldn't feel so alone. Personally she wasn't sure if he was coming or not. She hadn't gotten a definite answer from him that morning.

.

.

.

"So you're going?" he'd asked, eyebrows raised, "You don't have to."

"I don't want to."

"Then don't," said Kraken, "Why bother with him? Good riddance."

Ignoring his question Vanya looked at her two black dresses.

"Which one do you think?" she asked herself.

"Either one," Kraken shrugged, "Besides, Pogo said that you're supposed to be in costume."

Vanya rolled her eyes. Kraken got up and stood behind her.

"I don't have one," laughed Vanya bitterly, "Unless you count that old school uniform I used to wear. I don't think it would fit anymore, not to mention I'm too old."

"Actually," he smirked, wrapping his arm around her waist, "I think you'd look-"

"Stop right there," she said, trying to keep in laughter.

She paused for a minute.

"Are you coming?"

She felt him tense.

"Maybe later."

.

.

.

"-where I started, ten years old, the day before the Eiffel Tower went berserk…the day before I ran away from home…but something went wrong."

Vanya was abruptly snapped out of her musings.

"Something pulled me out of the time-stream. Much too soon," said .05.

"Hargreeves's death?" mused Spaceboy.

"Possibly," shrugged .05, "but he was dead by the time I arri-"

"If your story checks out, that is," came a voice from the corner of the room.

Even Séance turned around to see Kraken leaning up against the back wall.

"Coroner estimates the time of death at 7:02 p.m., but the security cameras on the estate mysteriously stopped recording at 6:44 p.m. **Convenient**," continued Kraken, "Lucky for you I broke into the city morgue and ran an autopsy. Natural causes…heart attack. **Apparently**."

Despite his rather brusque entrance Vanya was glad to see him.

"Agent .02, I presume," said .05.

"Diego, how lovely to see you," Rumor gave an interested look at Vanya before continuing, "You know I heard a rumor-"

"Don't try your witchcraft on me, sister," interrupted Kraken, "While you were busy playing **house** I was picking bullets out of my shoulder and throwing nut jobs in the clink."

"Stand down Kraken-" started Space irritably.

Wincing Vanya realized that this wasn't going to end well. The way to stop Kraken wasn't to tell him to do anything. The way was… actually she hadn't figured out the appropriate method yet. She just knew that that wasn't it.

"Still giving the orders, Monkey-boy?" sneered Kraken, "Last I checked your zip code doesn't qualify you as team leader-"

"That's enough Kraken," Pogo said firmly as he walked into the room, "I am the only one here of the pongidae persuasion…and I take offense at that comment. So start acting like Homo Sapiens so we can bury your father."

In all her life Vanya had never been so happy to see Pogo. There really was a reason why the Hargreeves didn't see each other except at weddings and funerals. As they filed out of the room Vanya fell into step besides Kraken. Everyone at the front gathered into a conversation as they headed towards Hargreeves's coffin.

"Glad you could make it," she said.

"Space gets more irritating every year," grunted Kraken.

"Just, try and behave," she murmured.

"What are you, my mother?" he hissed as he leaned against a tree.

"All I'm trying to say-" she started, her own temper rising.

"Does anyone wish to say anything?" Pogo said.

Silence descended on them. Did she wish to say anything at the grave of the man who had bullied her and made her feel worthless for her entire childhood? Certainly not. Even .05, who had to suffer the least of them, took out his watch and started to look at it.

"He wasn't the best father," a voice said, "and an even worse husband."

Everyone turned around as Grace Hargreeves, a.k.a Mom walked up.

"But if he was guilty of anything," she said, "It was caring for the world so much that he sacrificed his personal relationships. Unfortunately he never asked us how we felt about that."

"Mom," Rumor whispered.

"But that doesn't make his death in vain," she continued, "we must-"

"**KRAKEN DON'T!**" yelled Spaceboy.

Not even Vanya had seen Kraken sneak up and wrench their mother's coat off. Vanya felt a stab of pity as her crinoline frame mother said with tears in her eyes;

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have come."

Rumor hurried up and put the coat over her mother's shoulders.

"I would've worn the limbs," sniffled Mom, "but they're so uncomfortable."

"It's okay Mom," Rumor reassured.

Spaceboy stalked up to Kraken, his face alight with rage.

"I'm warning you Kraken-" snarled Space.

"Or what?" Kraken shot back, "You gonna beat your chest? Everything is a lie, Cowboy. Hargreeves left us with nothing but a mausoleum full of questions and a piece of plastic for a mother. Those tears aren't even real."  
"Well these are!" Rumor yelled miserably.

Everyone turned away. Vanya walked up to him.

"So this is why you came?" she asked, "You just wanted to piss everyone off?"

"I can't help it if they make me want to smash their faces in!" he snapped.

"Please try to make this a little less painful," she said with an edge to her voice.

"Let's cut the crap already," he growled, "No one here is upset he died. So why not just say it? And while you're at it stop lecturing me!"

"I'm not lecturing," she said, "All I'm trying to do is help-"

"If you want to do something useful," he snarled, "Why don't you go play your violin? We both know it's the only thing you're good at!"

It was like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her. As though realizing he had gone too far Kraken fumbled for words.

"Look…that wasn't…I didn't mean…what I meant was-"

"No," she said listlessly, looking at the ground, "You're right. I…I'm just going to go home. I…I'll see you there."

"I'll go too," he said desperately.

"No," she replied softly, "I'm fine…I can take a taxi or something…and I know of a shortcut through the carnival."

Still avoiding eye contact she turned away and started walking. Kraken made a move to go after her but Pogo put a hand on his arm.

"Let her go Kraken," he said quietly, "I think she needs to be alone right now."

Kraken turned to him with his lip curling into a snarl. Pogo gave him a level stare. Kraken slumped, defeated.


	10. Chapter 10

One day, fifteen hours, and four minutes before Sententia.

Vanya walked absently through the streets to the other side of the carnival. The violin. She hated that instrument with a passion. She hadn't touched the damn thing since Rumor's wedding. She didn't have any plans to do so either. That wretched instrument was the sole cause of so many of her woes.

Digging her hands into her pockets she trudged through the carnival. Many children were laughing with their parents. Vanya kept her eyes downcast. She knew that Kraken had said it in a fit of rage. He had often said things that he didn't mean. Still, she couldn't help but feel terrible any time those words came from anyone's mouth, even worse when it came from the lips of someone you loved.

Every time she heard someone say that to her she internally cringed into a ball and hid. God how she hated her own cowardice.

"OBSERVATION_!!! A DISTRUBING LACK OF CONCERN! TERMINAUT BRUTUS--!!!"

"CALAMITY_!!!"

Flecks of carousel flew past her. Vanya quickly moved behind a bench. Her heart sank when she saw the Terminauts aiming laser beams at random people, rides, and garbage cans. Slowly she moved away, trying to get better cover. From what her siblings had told her Terminauts were fixated machines of destruction. She also heard that they had a weird sense of humor. This was proved right when she heard one call;

"ACTION, ADVENTURE, THE TASTE OF POWERADE_!!!"

.

.

.

"I don't understand," Athena said as she turned the car, "Why would they be at their Pop's funeral if when they hate him? It's like saying we'd go to Mom's ."

"Technically we did go to Mom's funeral Athena," said Arkady.

"Try getting used to using your codenames around them," Reaper said tiredly as he looked out the window absently.

"Technically we did go to Mom's funeral **Alchemist**," corrected Arkady.

"Only if you count dumping her in the harbor as a funeral," snorted Athena.

"Whatever," said Arkady.

"Anyway," she continued, "Who do you want?"

He paused for a minute before grinning.

"The pirate one."

"The what?" she asked.

"You know," he said vaguely, "the one with the hair."

"They've all got hair."

"I remember now. Hydro."

"Oh. Trying to prove something?" she grinned.

"Just think it'll be fun."

"I want Perjurer," she said, "Think about how fascinating that'll be."

"If you want to take that on," Reaper asked tiredly, "Just make sure Ghost's backing you up."

"Yes Reaper," chorused Athena and Arkady.

Looking in the review mirror Athena frowned.

"Hey Ark- Phoenix, is the carnival supposed to be on fire?"

"Not unless the fireworks got out of hand," remarked Arkady,

Reaper looked analyzingly out the window.

"Hmmmm," he said thoughtfully, "Carnage. 'When Evil Rains.' Alchemist, go to the carnival. Phoenix, call Comet and tell her and Ghost to go there too."

"Who?" Athena asked.

"Helene and Cat," answered Arkady.

"We'll find them there," he said, smiling.

"How do you know?" asked Arkady.

"Just go," he snapped.

Athena glanced at Arkady before shrugging and making an illegal U-turn.

"You're the boss."

.

.

.

Ever since coffee and cake things had gone from bad to worse. Now Kraken and Vanya were off God knows where and they were being attacked. Not that Séance cared. Not that he ever cared. It was still kind of annoying to have to deal with flying trash cans at that time of night. Normally he'd be sitting down to watch _Happy Tree Friends_ with a can of coke right now. Not cola coke, cocaine coke. In any case, now he was hiding behind a large metal plate and surrounded by brats.

"I was better off at Shinyview," he groused, "At least you get a sponge bath from a large ex-con."

"Séance, I don't think this is the time or the place," Space growled.

"COWARDICE_!"

"The papers all said I was cracked but I checked myself in. Comatose ward. I preferred the company," he continued.

"Jesus Klaus!" Rumor snapped.

A large explosion rocked the plate. Space peered up above it and his face contorted into surprise.

"Ever wonder what a vegetable thinks about?" Seance digressed.

"We have an interesting problem," Space said.

"Firecrackers…"

"Define interesting!" snapped Rumor.

"Bee stings…"

"Maybe you should see this."

"Happy face eggs…"

"Huh."

Deciding to copy his siblings he peered over the plate. A red-haired woman with her hair in a pony tail sighed as she looked at the remains of the Terminauts. She wore a dark brown corset with matching fingerless gloves that went up to her elbows. Her shorts were matching, interrupted only by a red belt that had been looped around her waist.

Nodding to her was a woman wearing a long rag-tag leather vest/apron over a cream shirt. More importantly then their odd attire Séance noted that they both wore masks. He saw the second woman high-five the first. Laughing the second woman turned around. Her face lit up when she saw them. She nudged the other woman.

"The Umbrella Academy?" she asked.

Each of them turned to each other, various expressions of confusion in their eyes.

"Yes," Space said at last.

The second woman smiled. She flicked at something near her ear and whispered into it before turning it off again. Stooping to the ground she picked up a rock and started hefting it in her hands.

"Who are you?" Space asked tiredly.

"I can answer for them," said a hooded man carrying a long package bundled in cloth, "Don't feel bad about us having to finish off the flying trash cans. I do believe they weren't expecting an attack from behind."

His tone was patronizing and he smiled sarcastically. Rumor turned to Space with a questioning look. He shrugged but gave the man an enraged look.

"I repeat," he said sharply, "Who are you?"

"Well," he said, "That's my sister, the Alchemist, and that's my other sister the Comet."

The second woman waved at the mention of her name and the other one nodded.

"I'm the Reaper," he said, once again giving a sarcastic smile, "My brother the Phoenix saw your other brother going into the Tunnel of Terror and followed. Ghost will be joining us soon."

Once more Reaper smiled.

"We're the Sentinels," he said, "and now that we're introduced, Umbrella Academy, I'd like to tell you that we're here to kill as many of you as possible. Nothing personal, it's just in the Sententia rules."

Séance turned to Space.

"Man," said Séance, "I'd like some of whatever the hell it is he's smoking."


	11. Chapter 11

One day, fourteen hours, and fifty two minutes before Sententia.

Reaper paused as he focused his eyes to get a good look at Séance. Space massaged his temples.

"You've got bags under your eyes too," he said, "and you're frightfully pale. I suppose that all Graveyard Cards are like that."

"Definitely want some," said Séance.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rumor snapped.

For the first time since arrival Reaper frowned.

"Didn't Georgiana tell you?" he asked.

"Who?" Space asked sharply.

"Can we get started now?" Alchemist asked.

"You're right. It doesn't matter. Go ahead by all means," replied Reaper.

"Fun," said Alchemist.

Reaching backwards she threw the rock at them. At first Spaceboy didn't think much of it. Then he realized that when it left her hands it had turned into a bomb. Picking up the metal cover they'd been using as a shield he threw it in the air to intercept it.

"Get down!" he yelled.

His siblings were able to comply only seconds before bits of hot metal flew everywhere. When the smoke cleared he saw Reaper untying the cloth bundle.

"You know the drill," he said.

The ropes and cloth fell off to reveal a large scythe. Comet sighed and moved forward. The only thought that Space had time to think before she tackled Séance was;

_She's moving __**really **__fast._

Rumor suddenly found Alchemist trying to hit her with what was a minute before was a map. Now it was a sword.

"Transmutation's a bitch, isn't it?" she asked as the sword sliced Rumor's cheek.

Space was about to move to help one or both of his siblings before he had to bend back to avoid Reaper's scythe.

"Dammit," Reaper swore softly.

Withdrawing his laser gun Space made a shot that skimmed Reaper's leg. Hissing in pain Reaper moved to the side, careful to keep out of range. Séance had managed to get free, not before she'd managed to give him a sizeable black eye though, and was levitating bits of the carousel at Comet. So far she was artfully dodging all of the pieces.

Out of all of them Rumor was having the most trouble. Alchemist had turned several napkins into knives that were skimming past Rumor and cutting into her. Blood was coming from the many small incisions.

"Use your power!" demanded Alchemist, "Come on!"

The look in Rumor's eyes was furtive. Her lips trembled but Spaceboy could tell that she wouldn't, or couldn't, do it. As he looked towards her Reaper managed to dig into Space's shoulder with the scythe. Spaceboy couldn't keep the hiss of pain silent.

Despite wounding him Reaper didn't seem satisfied.

"Missed," he muttered.

"Well I'm not going to," said Space as he twirled around.

At point blank range he pulled the trigger. The laser beam went out, and for a moment he thought he saw a glimmer of violet. The beam bounced off of it. Quickly he dropped to the ground to avoid his own shot. When he looked up he saw a woman standing in front of Reaper. Unlike the rest of them she wore a long purple and violet striped gown with her hair pulled tightly back with several hair needles. She shifted from one foot to the other.

"Good job Ghost," Reaper smirked.

.

.

.

"Thanks for the shirt kid," said Kraken as he finished putting on the makeshift bandage around his waist.

"Ummm, you're welcome?" the curly haired child said uncertainly.

Sloshing around unsteadily Kraken got out of the water. He was worried and pissed at the same time. Worried because Vanya had mentioned cutting through the Carnival, and pissed because he knew that he would have to see his siblings soon.

"You're in the water," a voice said, "Highly appropriate."

Kraken turned to see a man wearing an early 19th century red military jacket with gold trimmings. A mask obscured his face. Kraken rolled his eyes.

"Let me guess," he said, "You're called the Ringmaster or some other shit-tastic villain name."

"The Phoenix," Phoenix smiled, "The jacket's just because I like Adam Ant."

"Not too bad I guess," shrugged Kraken.

"I've got good news and bad news for you," Phoenix said, "Good news is the rest of the Terminauts are destroyed. Bad news is my siblings are killing yours."

"Couldn't care less," grunted Kraken, highly hoping that Vanya wasn't included in Phoenix's tally, "we're all adopted."

Disapproval and anger crossed Phoenix's face.

"So are we."

Kraken smirked.

"Now **that's **shit-tastic."

.

.

.

Quietly Vanya edged her way out of the swinging ship queue. The explosions had settled down a little and she hoped that that meant that everything was alright. Slowly but surely she made her way down the steps into the plaza. It was open area but it was also the only way to get back into the city. The carnival had only one entrance and one exit. Peering around the corner of a building she saw what looked like a flashback of when the Umbrella Academy had taken on the League of Evil, Mayhem, and Keebler Elves. Perhaps the Terminauts hadn't come alone.

A column of fire erupted from the Tunnel of Terror. Vanya had to move back to the wall to avoid some of the fire from burning her. Looking around she saw what looked like an irate Ringmaster coming out of the tunnel. He was wincing and cradling a hand that looked as though it had been barbecued. Angrily ran off in the direction of the fire. It took her a minute to figure out that Kraken had been on the receiving end of that blast.

While she could see that he was only lightly singed he'd slammed into the wall of the opposite tunnel. He wasn't moving, and the oddly dressed man getting closer. Without thinking she yelled;

"KRAKEN!"

That had managed to wake Kraken up. It had also served to call a considerable amount of attention to herself. Across the fairground, the Reaper looked up.

"Music box," he grimaced, "Cover us Ghost."

.

.

.

It took Séance a minute to figure out just what was going on. One minute the guy who looked like he'd been listening to too much Blue Oyster Cult was fighting Space with some Cheshire cat gone wrong girl. Then they ran off. All of the Sentinels were abandoning their targets. Even the weird one who had been shooting fire at Kraken a few minutes before had left as soon as the words 'music box' had left Reaper's lips. And what had they run to? Vanya. Even by Séance's thought process that didn't make much sense.

Needless to say Space and Kraken pursued. Séance followed at a more leisurely pace. He could see his two brothers trying to get to Vanya, who was now trapped on all sides. This wouldn't have been a problem if the Cheshire girl wasn't standing firmly in front of Kraken and Space, blocking them. Rumor was still on the other side of the park.

"Don't use your power and we'll make this quick," Reaper promised.

Vanya? A power? That was laughable. Séance actually did laugh, much to the irritation of both of his brothers. Space had tried shooting through again but the girl was quite immovable. From behind her he could hear Vanya getting more and more nervous.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid," Reaper hissed.

"Vanya!" Kraken yelled, getting himself blocked by Ghost for his efforts.

God how Séance wished he didn't have such a hangover.

"Will you stop the stop the shouting?" he asked irritably, "No use for you to fight her. Even I can see that she's not all here. I'll handle this."

Kraken and Space looked at him as if he had just said that he was the King of the Congo. Well, he actually was, but he ignored their looks. He stepped in front of them and concentrated hard on Ghost. She cocked her head as if trying to figure out what he was doing. Then a far away and detached look came to her face.

He'd known that she would be far away, making all of this difficult. A few drops of blood came from his nose but he ignored it and kept pressing. There were some background noises, like Reaper slamming Vanya's head into the wall. Séance ignored that too. Slowly Ghost pulled one of the hair needles from her upsweep. All of her thick black hair tumbled down as the needle slowly approached her neck.

Concentrating a little harder he pressed the needle against the skin of her neck. With a touch more pressure the needle was plunged in and her absent look was gone. Now she was choking and bleeding. Ghost fell slowly to her knees.

"**CAT!**"

Séance found himself shoved roughly to the ground by Alchemist. He hit his head hard on a piece of debris upon impact. Through the stars he managed to make out a few things. The first was that Kraken had been able to sidestep Ghost and knock Reaper out of the way. From where the scythe was Séance figured that another fifteen seconds and her head would've been off. Phoenix was trying to hold off Space and Reaper had sent Comet running, presumably to wherever Ghost really was. His big concern was that Alchemist had picked up a metal pole and was repeatedly hitting him with it.

.

.

.

"If she's hurt in anyway then I swear to God-" Reaper threatened, his eyes flickering over to Ghost.

"You'll do what?" Kraken growled as he took Vanya's pulse.

For a minute Reaper concentrated on the two of them.

"She really doesn't have any powers," he murmured, "Well, less work for us."

A message crackled from a wire component on his ear. Although it seemed like it would've been impossible Reaper paled.

"This has been…fun," he said, "But I'm afraid that we must go. Don't worry, you'll be seeing us before the morrow is out. Sententia hasn't even started yet."

Gingerly Kraken picked Vanya up and headed off. Space yelled;

"What's Sententia?!"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," smiled Reaper, "Phoenix, give us cover."

"I'll try," Phoenix wheezed, holding his charred hand.

Spaceboy lunged forward but was stopped by a wall of smoke and flames cut him off. When it died down the Sentinels were gone.


	12. Chapter 12

One day, thirteen hours, and forty five minutes before Sententia.

FZZZAK!

"That thing makes me sick every time we ride it," Rumor moaned as she used the wall to support herself.

The fight had scared her terribly for more then one reason. First of all she hadn't managed to say a word. Now she was bruised and bleeding. She'd been living a normal life before she came back for the funeral. Now she didn't even have that anymore. When it mattered the most it appeared she couldn't deliver. She sighed miserably.

"I wish I could sympathize but we've got much bigger problems," Space said coolly, "including the fact that you froze back there."

Angry at having her thoughts voiced in such a condescending way she snapped;

"This isn't the easiest thing to jump back into, especially with flying garbage cans firing death rays and some freaky weird team that comes out of nowhere and- Diego!"

Kraken leaned against a table and irritably stretched out emergency bandages.

"I'm fine," he said.

It didn't take an expert in lying like Rumor to see that he wasn't. Blood was splattered all up and down his left side.

"Where's Vanya?" she asked.

"Put her upstairs," he grunted as he finished bandaging up his side, "I had to come down to find the medical cabinet."

"You know," said Space tersely, "maybe you wouldn't get your guts blown out if you didn't go running off on your own."

The medical tape pulled back with a snap. Séance squinted at Kraken's wound. It was obvious he was thinking about poking it. Rumor put a restraining hand on his arm.

"You're right," Kraken hissed, "Maybe if I followed you I wouldn't have to bleed it out…maybe I'd just get myself killed."

"Still mad at the world because father didn't love you?" Space shot back.

"HE DIDN'T LOVE ANY OF US!" Kraken shouted as he put his shirt back on, "But you're still trying to impress him after we just put him in the ground."

Rumor fought the urge to bash both of her brothers' heads together to get them to shut up. Kraken and Space hated each other but now wasn't the time. It was obvious to anyone but them. All she could do was stare in disbelief. Calmly Space replied;

"I guess you're right…he didn't love me. But I haven't spent my life pretending he did. Like you have with Vanya. Like you're still doing."

An angry and tense silence filled the room.

"What did you say?" Kraken growled.

"You heard me," said Space, "Just because you're sleeping with her doesn't mean-"

Spaceboy narrowly managed to avoid the knife thrown at him. Kraken launched himself from his spot and engaged in an all out pummeling brawl with his brother. Séance watched in amusement as blood splattered the floor, from old wounds and new.

"Take that back you son of a bitch!" snarled Kraken.

"Stop it!" Rumor yelled, trying to avoid using physical force to separate the two battling brothers.

"Why, so I can live a lie like you?" Space shot back.

"Fuck you you miserable ape!"

Stepping back Rumor took a deep breath before screaming at the top of her lungs. Everyone, including Séance, stopped and stared at her.

"Now that I have your attention," she hissed, "Will you all **please** stop trying to beat each other's brains out!"

"Siding with him," said Kraken as he wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, "Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm not on anyone's side-"

"Enough of your bullshit," he said as he walked up to her. Quietly he hissed at;

"My room was next to yours when we were kids. Do you really think that talking to your 'dearest Luther' in the mirror was such a great idea? The walls really do have ears in this house."

Rumor's face went pale. Kraken turned to Spaceboy;

"And you, you're just jealous that nobody's ever given a damn about a pathetic waste of space like you! **That's** why you're called Spaceboy!"

"Fine, don't believe me get your heart broken again," snapped Space, "That'll make you so much less bitter. But you can't say that I didn't warn you."

"So what, angry that I'm happy?" Kraken snarled, "What would you know about that? It's not like you've ever given a damn about anyone in your life."

He shot a meaningful look at Rumor before shouting;

"You get more like Hargreeves every day!"

Turning away from them Kraken stalked up the stairs, two at a time. They heard a door on the top floor slam shut, hard.

"That was not very nice."

Out of reflex Space drew his laser gun and fired an inch from where a dark silhouette stood. Clicking her tongue the woman walked up to them. She was dressed in a dark brown suit and skirt ensemble, probably Armani. In one of her arms she carried a briefcase.

"Neither was that."

"And you are?" Space asked suspiciously.

"Tsk tsk," the woman said, "You are so rude. I, however, will show proper etiquette. I am Georgiana Lockwood, but you can call me Georgiana. I am what you could call a…solicitor. You see, I was a friend of your father's."


	13. Chapter 13

One day, thirteen hours, and thirty minutes before Sententia.

By the time Kraken reached Vanya's room he had devised eight hundred and eighty-five ways to finish off Space while he slept. Angrily Kraken flopped back into a nearby chair. What did the stupid monkey know about anything anyway? He was in over his fat head when he talked about them. Irritably he drummed his fingers on the armrest.

Growing up he'd known that he wasn't normal. He hadn't thought that he was special though. He had thought that he was some sort of criminal getting punished. It was only later that he realized it wasn't his fault. By the time he was ten he was already a very bitter person. What can you expect when you torture a child and get them addicted?

Everyone in the Academy was hooked on something. Séance was the only one who was literally addicted to drugs though. Rumor was addicted to the lies she told. She wanted was to believe that things were different from what they were. .05's was probably power. Yes, he'd looked awfully smug as he'd explained how he knew things better then everyone around him. Space's was similar. He probably wanted authority though, not power. Or respect. Yes, respect sounded about right. Well, good luck getting that.

Vanya was hard to place, more so then Space or .05. After awhile he'd realized that it was to be valued, to have a good place somewhere and to not wake up every morning for no reason. Her addiction was slightly less intense then everyone else's though. Then again, she hadn't been in the house for as long as everyone else. Thank goodness for that.

It was Hargreeves fault. He'd been like a drug dealer, encouraging them in practices that made them each weak and submissive. The craving never went away. Each member simply went from addiction to addiction. Perhaps each addiction could be substituted for something else, something more wholesome. Then it might not be so bad. Until then everything seemed corrupted and warped.

His addiction? That was actually quite simple. His addiction was to not be like his siblings. It wasn't rebellion. It wasn't a search for individuality. He'd just decided that the right way to do something was the opposite from the rest of the Academy. Lately that addiction had been supplanted by a stronger one. Currently she was asleep, still knocked out by a blow to the head by some weirdo in a hood.

Sighing he threaded his fingers through each other. All of that didn't mean he didn't love Vanya. He just felt it strongly. It was to a higher degree then his other feelings, except perhaps of anger. Was it natural, was it normal? No. Nothing they did was. So it wasn't a surprise that he couldn't have a normal relationship.

So what if she didn't feel it on the same level as he did? He still knew she felt it. Everything from the way that his opinion mattered so much to what she said when she talked in her sleep made him sure without a doubt that his feelings were requited. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep this addiction.

Vanya stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes. Getting up he walked to her side.

"Feeling better?"

"Slightly," she said as she winced and put her hand behind her head.

He paused.

"You know I didn't mean what I said."

"Diego, you don't-"

"I want to," he said, sitting down on the bed's edge, "I can risk an apology. You mean that much to me."

He saw a laugh fighting its way from her lips. He picked up one of her hands and kissed the inside of it.

"You mean…just about everything."

Her hand curved so that he could feel it against his cheek. Leaning down he locked lips with hers. Ecstasy pierced his mind as he felt her deepen their kiss. Slowly he leaned down further, pushing her into the bed. Suddenly his communicator started to ring.

"Let 'em wait," he murmured huskily before leaning in for another kiss.

He felt Vanya's lips twist into a smile. Her fingers were buried in his hair, making it easy to ignore the ringing. After a few minutes the communicator flipped on by itself.

"I don't want to have to come up there. Now get down here with Vanya," said Space irritably.

He really was going to kill him in his sleep. Sighing angrily he said;

"I'll be right down. Vanya still has trauma though. She has to stay up here monkey-man."

There was no reply and he climbed off the bed.

"Trauma?" she asked.

"Try getting up," he said, "It'll send your head spinning."

Vanya tried to do so but abruptly fell back down again. Kraken repressed a laugh.

"See what I mean? I'll be back up in a minute."

"Sure," she said, "Try not to kill anyone."

"I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."

He grinned as Vanya gave a small laugh. Yes, this addiction was worth anything.

.

.

.

.05 leaned up against the wall angrily. Space had called him back earlier then he should've. That had made it so that he wouldn't make it before closing time at Costello's diner. He really needed coffee. Irritably he snapped the pocket watch open and closed a few times. Then his eyes slid over to their visitor.

Georgiana was sitting patiently in a chair with a briefcase on the table. She was completely nonplussed and had her hair smoothed back so that not even a hair was out of place. She worried him. There was something not normal, not human about her. He'd faced inhuman things before, but not ones that looked so confident. She turned and gave him a thin lipped smile. .05 didn't smile back.

When Kraken finally descended Georgiana looked up and gave another one of her plastic smiles.

"Who's she?" he asked.

"Solicitor," shrugged Rumor, "She wouldn't tell us anything else."

"And I won't," she said, "until all of you are here. Now one's dead but what's the other's excuse?"

"Head trauma," Kraken said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Oh that's a shame," she said, "So I suppose I'll just have to continue. Like I said, I'm Georgiana Lockwood and I am a solicitor of sorts. Your father left things with me that wouldn't be safe elsewhere."

She paused for a minute to open the briefcase. Space sighed and said;

"As interesting as I think this'll be I don't see why we all have to be-"

"It has bearing on the attack on the carnival," Georgiana interrupted smoothly, "But before I proceed there is something else you need to know first. Your father was quite an unusual man."

"We know that," Kraken snorted.

"I don't think you understand," smiled Georgiana, "He was an **unusual** man. Or, as I could say, not a man at all. Or perhaps I could say, not from this planet?"

.05 shrugged. He'd known that for years. The others looked mildly surprised.

"He was actually from Stigand. You wouldn't know it, it's not in this particular galaxy. Even there he was a very gifted individual. We were saddened to hear of his death."

"We?" Space said.

Once again smiling Georgiana gripped one hand with another. With a fluid movement she ripped the skin off like a glove. Once again .05 was the only apathetic one when a layer of shimmery blue skin was revealed.

"Yes," Georgiana smiled, "**we**."


	14. Chapter 14

One day, seven hours, and forty nine minutes before Sententia.

"That was irresponsible," Reaper said as Alchemist bandaged Phoenix's hand.

"He made me mad," he muttered, "I got carried away. The way he talks about his siblings…"

"They're not our concern," snapped Reaper, "No more over-using your powers from now on. Do you understand?"

Phoenix nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry."

"I can't have any of us getting hurt," Reaper sighed, "But in any case the board is still the same."

All of their eyes flickered over to a holographic game board. Alchemist nodded her head, reassured as she looked at the game pieces.

"They were better then we thought. We'll just have to try harder next time."

"Yes, next time," Reaper sighed as he massaged his temples, "How's Cat?"

Comet shook her head from where she was. Ghost, or Cat, was lying on the couch, a thick white bandage wrapped around her throat.

"Still stable and sleeping peacefully. Maybe we should get her another body."

"That bad?" Reaper asked anxiously.

"Yes and no," replied Comet as she took a seat, "Athena managed to save her. But I'm not so sure about her soul's stability right now. It was a bad wound."

Reaper walked slowly over to where Ghost lie on the couch. Tenderly he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

"I think it'll be fine," he said, "Done yet Athena?"

Alchemist finished bandaging Phoenix's hand. She rubbed the bandage down, smoothing the bandages slowly into skin.

"Yes Neil," she chirped.

"Good," he said, "Now I've picked up readings that a rather unusual boy with a chimp have been seen flying around the city. I suppose that this is the good doctor and Traveler. Sententia is very soon. We need to move fast. And this time we need to resort our priorities…"

.

.

.

"Where is everyone getting these drugs?" pouted Séance as he looked enviously at Georgiana's blue skin, "Everyone's on something amazing except me."

"You're going to have to exclude me from that count," she smiled apologetically, "I can only digest mineral water on your planet."

"Why are you here?" asked Space quietly and rigidly.

"It's like I told you earlier," Georgiana said as she shuffled her human hand skin back on, "Your father left me things in case of his death before Sententia. It's a shame really. Everyone was looking forward to watching him play…but these things happen."

"What's Sententia?" Space asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well," Georgiana said calmly, "it is quite complicated."

Spaceboy folded his arms. This woman was starting to get on his nerves.

"I'm listening."

Smirking a little Georgiana said;

"I should compare it to Chess really. But if I did that it would be giving that silly little game you humans play far too much credit. This is something much more difficult and entertaining. It started as a way to stave off political crises on Stigand."

"Our system of government is quite old and…well everyone says ineffective. So whenever a major political disagreement comes up then the arguers play this game and it solves the issue. That is done with pieces made of rock. When it is over something as big as a planet…it's usually done with pieces made of flesh."

Space started to go rigid. .05 was narrowing his eyes. They could tell that this wouldn't end well.

"Now any planet not part of our system is considered a threat really. It's unstable. So we have to figure out a way to influence it and control it," Georgiana continued, "Or if bad comes to worse we simply destroy it. Now when Earth came on the block there were two arguments to how it should be used. Your father wanted it to be a sort of wildlife preserve. He wanted it to be his little science experiment."

All of the Hargreeves sibling tensed. There was something infuriating with the way that Georgiana went on with that patronizing smile.

"There were others, of course who wanted to mine the molten metals in its core. We don't have much metal on our planet. Spearheading the effort was…well…her name doesn't translate well. To you it would sound something like Lenore I suppose. You might not have heard of Lady Lenore Cain on your planet-"

"Head of a shadowy organization called the Black Hand," recited Space from memory, "A dangerous group of mafia and assassins. Its influence and reach grew until Lenore disappeared fifteen years ago."

"Most of the assassins ended up in the clink," Kraken said, "The rest in the insane asylum babbling about the Queen of Hell and her demon guards."

"Then you do know," Georgiana smiled, "Well this game isn't something to enter lightly. It lasts forty-three years which is half our life span. Thirteen years to establish yourselves then thirty years to train your pawns. Your father and Lenore were great friends, only on different sides of the board. I think they relished the opportunity to fight against each other. She is the other player in this game. Or was anyway. Her pawns murdered her, like you said, fifteen years ago."

"Pawns," Rumor said slowly.

"Yes," smiled Georgiana, "she called them her Sentinels. I believe you had your first encounter with them awhile ago. But Hargreeves and her are dead now. Still, things don't stop just because the controllers are dead. The same thing happens if their pawns win without them, just different people get to be in charge. Sententia goes on."

"You still haven't explained what Sententia is," said .05 coolly.

"I am getting to that," she said.

Taking a small remote control out of the briefcase she held out her hand and turned it on. A holographic projection of a board with several differently colored pieces scattered around it appeared. Three pawns stood off to the side of the board.

"This is a good place to start," she said approvingly, "The pieces with the black stripes on them represent you and the ones with the white strips represent the Sentinels. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but by the way the board looks, you're losing."


	15. Chapter 15

"How exactly are we losing?" asked Rumor, trying to make sense of the positions of the pieces.

"The machine takes in many factors, so I can't tell you why exactly," shrugged Georgiana, "But I can tell that that's how it is. If you don't do something then you're going to lose your chance to decide the fate of the world. Its people enslaved and forced to hollow out the planet or it's used as a nature conserve. Your choice."

"How can we do something if we don't even know what it actually is?" Rumor near-screamed.

"Actually," .05 said slowly, "I think I get it. We're the pieces in a giant chess game. Hargreeves and this Cain woman were the players."

"Yes and no," said Georgiana, "That's what everyone says. You all think it's like chess. But it's actually a lot more complicated then that."

"Explain," demanded Space.

She gave him a slightly hostile look before saying;

"To begin with, it starts with forty-three cards."

As Georgiana finished speaking she pulled a deck from her briefcase. Casually she threw the cards on to the table. For a minute they spread out, going everywhere. Then they pulled together, their backs facing up in straight rows.

"Before the game even starts," Georgiana continued, "we infect a planet with a virus. What it does is seek out a woman host who is quite strong. It infects them, and immediately a child forms to represent one of the forty-three cards. Depending on a number of factors, such as temperature and annual wheat production of the country, it will give the child a power that goes with the 'theme', so to speak, of the card."

"For instance," she said as she skimmed the surface of a card with a tip of her finger. It flipped face up to show an impossibly large creature balancing on the Milky Way. Its fists were clenched, showing off its muscles.

"Colossus," she said grinning, "There are several variations on this card. Growing very tall is one of them. But generally those representing this card grow to have…shall we say…unusual speed and strength. Generally they also lack any real brain power. Sound familiar Mr. Hargreeves?"

Her look was directed at Spaceboy. He glared coldly at Georgiana.

"On our planet they look a little different. Things tend to change for the beholder. There's more to the game though," she smirked, "Each controller gets to pick seven cards, seven pawns. Each card falls into three categories; Regent, Chance, and Destructions. The categories have sub categories, but I'll get to that later. No controller can pick more then four cards from each category."

"Now Colossus falls under Regent, sub-category Warrior. Regent guarantees that no matter what you will get a good pawn. Warrior simply means that they will be offensive, not defensive. Chance means that the pawn will be either very weak or incredibly strong; no middle ground. Destructions…they're unimportant right now."

Georgiana gestured towards Séance and .05.

"Seer and Traveler," she said.

As she spoke she moved her hand and two more cards flipped up from the table. One card showed millions of pairs of eyes. Another showed someone riding on a horse at what appeared to be breakneck speed. Séance picked up his card.

"This looks like the Tarot Cards I used when I was five," he said in disgust.

"Never heard that before," she said as she rolled her eyes, "Both of you are Chance cards. Seer is sub-category Graveyard and Traveler is sub-category Paradox. I believe that the other Chance, Crossroads, died? That was a Grounding card you know."

"His name was Ben," snapped Rumor.

There was something about her coldness that made Rumor want to strangle her.

"Perjurer," she smiled and flicked her finger.

A card flipped up showing a figure speaking and twisting its words with its hands.

"Regent, sub category Shaper," she said, then turning to Kraken, "Lastly Hydro."

A card showing a Tsunami crashing onto a beach flipped over.

"Hydro is a Regent sub-category Elemental, nice choice really. Not very popular because of its prickly mannerisms though."

"Lastly we have Music Box" she asked as she jerked her hand, causing one more card to flip over. It showed a small music box playing notes. The notes were stabbing stars and blood dripped down from the wounds, "Your other sister I believe."

"Vanya's upstairs alien-bitch," snarled Kraken.

"See what I mean about the prickly temperament?" she sighed, "In any case now I get to Destructions. There are only three cards in that category because it's too dangerous to have more. No sub-categories. Your sister is a Destruction card."

"Vanya doesn't have any powers," said Rumor.

"Oh yes she does," snorted Georgiana, "The virus never fails. Destruction cards are highly volatile. Little things set them off. Usually they have to be killed or they'll end up destroying everything. Music Box is the worst of the worst. But Hargreeves insisted."

"Why didn't we know about this sooner?" Kraken asked sharply.

Georgiana rolled his eyes.

"Lady Lenore and Sir Hargreeves thought that it would be funner if neither of you knew until the end. I had to tell the Sentinels earlier of course since they killed her. Now seeing how Hargreeves died the day before yesterday I think I got here rather quickly."

"In any case, Sententia starts in about…oh…a day or so.. Oh, and I should tell you that because Hargreeves picked his cards first they get to pick the battlegrounds. They'll contact you when the time comes. As for rules, it only ends if one team surrenders or if one team wipes the other out. You've already all survived the preliminary battle. Don't worry, they aren't allowed to do anything else until the final match. You should have a good idea about what their powers are now. Here are their cards though, in case you don't know about them. It says the sub-category at the bottom. Those are the only rules you need to concern yourself about at this point in the game. Now then, I have to get going," she said as she got up, placed the cards on the table, and headed towards the door, "These games don't organize themselves you know."

"So let me get this straight. Our whole lives have been part of some sick game that we didn't know about?" Kraken growled.

"Yes," Georgiana said blandly in the door frame, "If it makes you feel better it's quite entertaining."


	16. Chapter 16

One day, six hours, and ten minutes before Sententia.

The door shut with a snap behind Georgiana. For a minute they all stood still.

"I'm going on patrol," said Spaceboy abruptly, "Keep your ear on the communicator."

"What?" exclaimed Rumor, "Luther, you haven't slept and you're still bleeding and there are freaky people who want to-"

"No time," he answered brusquely.

"Typical," Kraken rolled his eyes.

Space fixed him with a hard look.

"It seems that we either work together or we die on this one Kraken."

"It seems that we either work together or we die on this one Kraken," mocked Kraken, "Well it seems to me that dear old Dad left us in a shit hole a mile deep. What's the point of going on patrol?"

Walking to the table he picked up the five cards Georgiana left behind.

"Look at these," he snapped, throwing one down on the table after another, "Shield, Mover, Transmuter, Reaper, Incendio, we're up against them and we don't even really know what it is they do!"

"I think they're sort of obvious except Reaper," ventured Rumor.

"Who appears to be the brains of the operation," Kraken snapped, "We don't need to be walking around with our fucking hands in the air, we need to be finding out more about these weirdos or we're all going to die!"

"Much as I hate to do this," .05 said, "I'm going to have to agree with Kraken."

Spaceboy's glance flickered between the two of them.

"Fine. I'm going out on patrol though. We may be able to find and reason with them."

"Yeah," snorted Kraken, "Like that'll work. Like that's ever worked."

"I'm still going out."

"Then I'm coming with you," Rumor said firmly.

Space gave her a look that was halfway between curiosity and anger.

"Fine, I'll reset the televator."

.05 and Kraken shook their heads before going upstairs. Rumor redirected her attention to Séance who was staring blankly at the wall.

"I assume you're going to bed," she said vaguely.

"I'm tagging along," he replied, "I've been eating speed for the last three days and every time I close my eyes I see centipedes."

"That's great," Rumor replied absently.

.

.

.

Pogo sighed as he walked up the stairs. All his life he had prided himself on never listening in on a conversation. That was crude and tactless. He instead eavesdropped. That took a good deal more skill. It would've been impossible to have survived in that house if he hadn't formed some sort of unscrupulous defense mechanism. Even so his conscious pricked him about it.

Right now he had one mission; to check on the two most estranged members of the Academy. Currently he was going to check on Vanya. The one battle she was involved in she got head trauma. .05 was next. That boy was worrying him. He thought back to the few conversations he'd had with him over the past few hours. No, that boy wasn't quite right. Shaking his head he knocked on the door with his foot. Both of his hands were currently occupied with cups of steaming coffee.

"Vanya?" he asked cautiously.

He heard footfalls behind the door. It opened slowly as if the opener was unsure if they wanted to let the person in. He smiled internally. That had always been a habit of Vanya's, ever unsure, always nervous. Opening it he saw that she had changed into a loose white nightgown that was too big for her. It looked outdated, probably something she had used to use for dress-up when she was younger. The gown still didn't fit her.

"Brought you some coffee," he said, "You could use it."

She looked slightly dazed but nodded anyway.

"You shouldn't be out of bed you know," he said as he edged his way in.

"You try lying in bed for hours on end with nothing to do," Vanya snorted as she took a cup and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Your siblings are out-" he started.

"Trying to save the world," Vanya finished, "Yeah, I know."

"How?"

"They usually are."

She took a sip of the coffee. Pogo had always found that coffee helped things. It helped him have an excuse to visit them whenever he wanted to and to talk to them. Right now he used it as an excuse to explain Sententia.

"Guess I was some sort of malfunction then," murmured Vanya.

Pogo sipped his coffee. He'd thought it better to leave out Destructions.

"How many times to I have to tell you," he said at length, "You are special Vanya. You just don't need to destroy things."

"Hm. Hargreeves never seemed to think so," Vanya muttered.

Personally Pogo didn't want to contemplate some of the things Hargreeves had called Vanya. A distraction was the kindest.

"Do you care about what Hargreeves thought?"

"No," admitted Vanya, "Not since I was ten anyway."

"Then there you have it," Pogo said, "He's dead now Vanya, we buried him yesterday afternoon. Forget his opinions and remember the ones that you do care about."

A small smile came across her face. He smiled back. At least one of them had turned out relatively happy. Then Vanya frowned thoughtfully.

"Pogo, if the Sentinels were raised in the same manner as us," she said slowly, "and they killed their mother, then what must she have done to make them do that?"

"I don't know," said Pogo quietly, "I don't know."

.

.

.

Cat opened her eyes. She smiled as she made out her lover's face. Then suddenly it all blurred and she was looking at the Queen of Hearts.

"Who cares for you?!" Cat shouted dizzily, "You're nothing but a pack of cards!"Everything slowly morphed back into the way it had been before. She frowned and rubbed her neck."What happened?" she asked in a different tone. "Seer made you stab yourself," Reaper said, his eyes flashing with anger, "Don't worry. Athena gave him a good hiding." Cat winced in pain as the woman whose body she was inhabiting screamed."Where's my jewelry box?" she asked as she looked around her room. "Gone," he said coolly, "Helene found what you were keeping in there. If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times that you **cannot** take it anymore!"

"But it helps," pleaded Cat.

"No," he said, "It doesn't."

"It gets rid of the screams."

"No it doesn't!" he snapped as he grabbed her arm. Her sleeve fell back to reveal numerous puncture wounds both new and old.

"It's just something that bitch got you hooked on so you'd be easier to control! God dammit Cat, she made your system incapable of living without that stuff! She's the reason you have to keep changing. We give you what you need to survive, just take that!"

"I think I got off easy," she whispered evasively.

"You can't do this to yourself anymore," he said, now calm, "I forbid it."

What about what she did to you? That was what Cat wanted to say. You didn't used to be this controlling. You wouldn't have killed anyone. What about the rest of us? When we were younger Athena used to cry at the end of _Old Yeller_. Now she laughs. Helene used to dance, faster and freer then anything I've seen. Now she only runs when she has to. Arkady snuck to the roof to star gaze. Now he barely goes out at night.

"I've sent Helene and Athena to give our opponents a little message. We need you sharp for the battle," he said, "And that means no more drugs. Nothing. Do you hear?"

She looked at him sadly.

"Winning this," murmured Cat, "won't change anything."

"Yes it will," Reaper said fiercely, "We'll finally be safe."

"That's what you said when you killed Lenore," she said, "it won't change anything. It won't bring Ryuk and Jacob back."

"No," once more his eyes flashed with anger, "but this is different."

"You would let the world burn for this game?" she asked.

"Yes!" snapped Reaper, "After what the world has done to us it's only fair. The Umbrella Academy is the last obstacle. This will make us happy. I can **make** us happy."

As he finished he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll make you happy my love," he murmured lovingly.

There was so much that she wanted to say. She wanted to beg him to stop it before they lost anyone else. Sententia frightened her like Lenore had frightened her fifteen years ago. Yet she knew it would be pointless.

"I don't care about the world," whispered Reaper, "So none of us can."

Around her the world faded into a room with a table in the middle of it. On top of the table was a little bottle with the words DRINK ME on it and some sort of biscuit.

"Well, if I eat it, and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key," she said, "and if makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door: so either way I'll get into the garden, and I don't care which happens!"

As the world went back to how it really was Reaper was nodding, taking that as an agreement. Yet as her mind came back to her she realized that was a lie. She did care. She cared very much.


	17. Chapter 17

One day before Sententia.

Lupo sighed as he got into his car. It had been a long night with the carnival and everything. A lot of kids hadn't made it out of the carousel in time. Then if the trash cans weren't enough there were the people who showed up afterwards. He had spent the night interviewing witnesses. Some of them were eight so he hadn't been expecting much. Even the adults were unreliable though. It seemed like no one knew exactly what had happened, especially with the other costumed people.

He had a few guesses who those people could've been. None of them were one hundred percent things though. He lit a cigarette as he started up the engine.

"Those things're gonna kill you."

Out of a mixture of instinct and calculation Lupo jerked around and pointed his revolver at the back seat.

"Bet this will kill you quicker!"

"How have you been Lupo?" Kraken asked casually.

"Jesus Kraken…" Lupo sighed in frustration, "I could have smeared you against the back seat. I think you do it on purpose…"

"What do you think?"

"Have you come up with a story for Vanya Hargreeves yet?" asked Lupo, "People are asking you know. I can only keep it out of the papers for so long."

"I'll work on it. I need help Lupo."

"Why? All your enemies are on the ice…or is it that time again? The end of the world?"

He was fishing for information, and Kraken knew that. Still, he didn't say anything for awhile.

"Maybe. I've been searching," Kraken said as he looked out the window, "Got zip. I need a lead."

Lupo picked his brain for a few seconds as he turned the corner.

"Well, it's probably nothing. But recently there's been rather a lot of thugs getting captured and put in jail. Normally I wouldn't bother you with this but they're west coasters. A lot of them are screaming about how aliens are going to take over the world and something going down near Icarus Theater in the Performing District near Narroway. I searched the place but didn't find anything. Still, that's just me…"

Glancing back at the back seat of his car Lupo saw that Kraken had left. He lit another cigarette.

"Hmph."

.

.

.

"I brought you some coffee. What exactly are you looking for?" Pogo asked as he walked into Hargreeves's old study.

"Hargreeves's revolver," .05 said as he threw books and random collectibles over his shoulder, "I refuse to be taken unawares. I'm a wonderful shot. I'll have to demonstrate sometime."

.05 could tell that his Pogo wasn't exactly comfortable with that information. He saw it in his eyes as he accepted the mug from him. Well who cared? Taking a sip he saw an old-fashion clasp box from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, hello…" he murmured as he opened it.

Hargreeves's old monocle. Smiling he pocketed it.

"I've been meaning to ask you about…well everything really," sighed Pogo as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "I always knew you were smarter then the rest of your siblings. Even your father said that. I don't believe it took you that long to get back."

For a minute .05 paused and took another sip. When he was younger he had liked Pogo for the fact that he didn't care about powers. So he still had an old aversion to lying to him. He decided that evasion was the best technique.

"There are things about me you don't- no wouldn't understand," he said at length, "Things that I've done to get back here. It's too complicated to explain."

"Why don't you try me?" said Pogo as he raised his eyebrows.

"Well…" .05 said hesitantly, "I don't know where to begin…"

He thought back about his last mission.

"But I suppose I should start with the Kennedy assassination-"

Just then an old folder caught his eye. Frowning he stooped down to get a better look. It was labeled 'Sententia'. Quickly he flipped it open and started to skim the pages.

"You were saying .05?" Pogo asked.

"Now isn't this interesting," .05 murmured.

.

.

.

"Brought you some coffee," Rumor said as she walked across the roof to Space, "You look like you could use it."

"That bad, huh?" smiled Space absently, "Thanks…"

Space sipped in silence. While he hated to think that Kraken might've had a point patrol was useless. The city was as it always had been, probably the same way as Atlantis the night before it sunk. Patrol had usually yielded something before though. He had gone out on instinct like he always had. This time though it probably wouldn't pay off.

He wondered if it actually was the end. That was a possibility of course just like it had always been. Hargreeves, Sententia, Lenore, Stigand, Regents, Sentinels, they whirled around inside of his brain in circles that he didn't want to think about. Deciding to move on to safer ground he said;

"You wore the mask."

"I've been having a hard time with all this. I figured it would help me feel more comfortable in my own skin…" Rumor smiled, "more like myself."

"More like yourself," said Space thoughtfully, "or who you think you're supposed to be?"

The look Rumor gave him was pure venom.

"Luther, don't do that. Don't play team leader with me," she snapped, "I've lived this whole other life since leaving the academy. You know what I'm thinking about right now? I'm not worried about the end of the world. I'm not worried about aliens betting on some sort of freaky battle royale. I wonder if my little girl got to sleep tonight, or if she's up with Patrick right now. Or Patrick's girlfriend."

She finished with a note of bitterness in her voice.

"Her name's Claire…?" said Space hesitantly

"Yeah," once more Rumor smiled, "That's right. I've told her all about you. Her uncle on the moon…"

Uncle. Brother. That's all he was and he was barely those. He would never be anything more to anyone else. Thirty years on Earth and it could end in a day or so. What would he have accomplished? Kraken had probably been right again. He was jealous of him and Vanya. Jealous of him having someone who cared about him. What did he have? Nothing. Almost angrily he pushed the thoughts out of his head.

"I'm worried about you Allison," he said, trying to regain some semblance of control, "Last night with the terminauts and Sentinels was nearly a disaster. I haven't even seen you use your power…did you lose it?"

Once again Rumor gave him a venomous look.

"Luther, I'm talking about my real life, your niece, and all you care about is our powers," she hissed, "You're still so obsessed with being a hero you can-"

"Allison. Look at me," interrupted Space tiredly. After the fight with Kraken he didn't have the energy to cover it all up anymore, "How am I supposed to relate to anyone at all, let alone your feelings about your daughter? I would've liked to have had a daughter. A wife."

He paused for a minute, unsure that he should've said this. Already Rumor was looking at him with something like surprise. He had to finish it now though.

"But I think that focusing on our work is probably the healthiest thing for someone like me. So help me save the world for your daughter. For Claire."

Closing his eyes briefly he thought of what Claire would look like. Would she have Rumor's purple hair? Or would she have Patrick's brown? A shudder of disgust went through him when he thought of Patrick. He'd never liked him. While his initial dislike had been for selfish reasons it proved well founded. No, he was sure that Claire had had the fortune to look exactly like her beautiful mother.

"I'd like to meet her some day," he said wistfully.

A mischievous look came over Rumor.

"You know Space…" she murmured seductively, "I heard a rumor that you've wanted to kiss me since you were eight years old."

He blinked once. Then before he knew what to say her lips were pressed firmly against his. Without thinking he kissed her back. Once more without thinking he grasped her back and pulled her closer.

"Well isn't that **sweet**."

Both of them pulled apart to see Alchemist and Comet balancing on the water tower.

"We can come back later if you're busy," grinned Alchemist wickedly.

"What do you want?" Space snarled, angry at them for being there and interrupting his first kiss.

"Big brother's set a place," Alchemist smiled impishly.

"Reaper," Comet said sharply, "has selected the Performing District down near Narroway as the center of our Sententia battle. Georgiana has been informed. We expect you there at midnight tomorrow."

"Fine," Alchemist pouted, "Be all formal."

"Not being there counts as forfeiture, in which case we automatically win," continued Comet, "You all have to be there."

"Even the one who can't fight for shit," added Alchemist.

Comet glared at her sister.

"We'll be there," said Spaceboy levelly.

"Good," Alchemist said cheerfully, "it's boring otherwise. Now go back to whatever you're doing."

In a blur the two of them were gone. Space gritted his teeth angrily just as his communicator started to ring. Breathing deeply he picked it up.

"What is it?" he snapped.

"Someone is angry," said .05 mildly, "Come back. I think I've found what we need."


	18. Chapter 18

Twenty two hours and eight minutes before Sententia.

All of the Hargreeves siblings assembled in their father's old office, some less reluctantly than others. Rumor noted that Kraken and Spaceboy still seemed uncomfortable around each other. Séance on the other hand had taken out a pocket comb and started styling his hair. Letting her eyes slide over to the reason they were there she saw .05 sitting on the desk with an old blue folder in his hands.

"This is what we've been looking for," he said as he held it up, "Apparently Lenore and Hargreeves kept a correspondence, culminating in this."

Opening the folders he examined the first page and read;

".07, a.k.a Zoo, a.k.a Ryuk Cain. Sententia card: Regent, sub category: Planet. Synopsis: His power manifests itself as the ability to get animals to obey him. For this reason he keeps several animals with him at all times. He is useless though due to the fact that he believes in the idea of some sort of 'sanctity of life.' I have reason to believe that I can break him. Otherwise he'll be canon fodder."

"Harsh," said Rumor.

"You should see what Hargreeves wrote about us," snorted Kraken, "'More and more I start to think that .02 is an utter disappointment. He refuses to follow instructions even if it means that his efforts will be met with failure. His foolhardiness may one day cost his siblings their mission.' Not lives, mission. Bastard."

Space shot him a glare. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him. She'd wished that he'd said something following their kiss. She wished that there'd been some sort of signal or sign. Instead there was nothing. There was nothing for her to go off to gauge his feelings. Was it just a onetime thing, a response to her lie?

"That's what it said," Kraken shrugged, "Let me tell you yours; '.01 exhibits aggressive leadership tendencies, but seems to have trouble getting the rest of the children to follow him. Still, he is obedient.'"

Hoping to avoid another blowout Rumor quickly said;

"I don't remember any Zoo there. I think I would've remembered someone with an army of animals."

.05 smiled wanly.

"I think the clue lies in .06, Jacob Cain," he said, "You don't need to know anything else about him, the file is pretty self-explanatory."

Before Rumor could say anything .05 flipped the folder. There was a picture of a young man in his earlier teenage years with close cropped hair and a mask. She couldn't make out much else for over his picture a large 'X' had been drawn with red marker.

"Dead?" questioned Space.

"I can only assume so," said .05, "Probably the only ones we haven't seen aren't among the living anymore. But we're not concerned with them. For instance, here's our good friend Phoenix, or as this says Arkady. I'll skip all that nonsense about cards and just say that he was their .05. 'Like his card he can control flames. The only real drawback is the fact that he is not immune to fire and can still be burned by it. He generally doesn't have many peculiarities except for the fact that he likes getting out of the house. He's finding this difficult with the new locks.'"

He paused for a few seconds before going on;

".04, Alchemist or Athena. 'Anything she touches she can change into something else, as long as they at least three similar components. Her sensitivities have lessened in recent years. She is quite what I had hoped for, even going so far as to enjoy the small cruelties she commits.'"

".03, Comet or Helene. 'I once clocked her at being able to travel faster than the speed of sound when she's trying. She speaks less and less and seems to focus her life on making sure her siblings are happy and healthy. It's really fascinating. I'm getting a psycho-analyst in here. I know this sort of thing interests you."

Rumor raised her eyebrows.

"He psycho-analyzed people?" she said, repulsed.

"Frequently from some of his notes," said .05 as he flipped a page, "Apparently he even did experiments on us while we slept."

Looks of disgust passed over their faces. Slowly Séance stopped brushing his hair.

"So those dancing doughnuts weren't a dream," he said thoughtfully.

"No," said .05 firmly, "**that **was a dream. Moving on we come to our little color-blind friend, .02, Ghost, or Catherine. 'You always said the soul was made of sterner stuff. It appears you're right. Her soul is not exactly bound to her body, if hers wears out then she can simply get another. She can detach herself from her soul and uses it to shield the rest. Instead of being resentful about this she's surprisingly gentle. They call her Cat and indeed she's like a kitten. Don't worry; she'll be a lioness before she's sixteen."

"That explains why she seemed so far away," Séance mused.

"Because she was far away," said Kraken as he threaded his knife through his fingers, "And this bit about another body. Several dead women were discovered recently. It seemed like something had been drained out of them. Perhaps exit wounds. She's been busy."

"She's the least of our worries," said .05 as he turned to the final page, "Here we have their .01, Reaper or Neil. 'He can use a blade to sever lifelines to anything, be it synthetic or organic. Once he's done that it's useless or dead. He says that the human ones are around the heart, which might explain why most of the humans he kills simply seem to have a heart attack. He's terribly possessive of his siblings and rather obsessive about anything, such as his loathing of me. He's already tried to kill me twice but I'm always one step ahead."

"Well," said Séance, "From her recent condition it appears that she wasn't one step ahead once."

"Yes," .05 replied, "You do realize the implications of this though."

"Security cameras on the estate stopped recording at 6:44 for no reason," said Kraken, "They haven't been able to get them to work since. Looks like he could kill cameras-"

"-and the coroner says that Hargreeves died of a heart attack," finished Space.

"Did us a favor really," shrugged Kraken.

Once more Spaceboy shot him a venomous glare. Once more Rumor wished that her stupid brothers could just get over it.

"Yes," Space said, "but if you haven't noticed each of us can take one of them. Hargreeves made us for opposition to **them**."

"'cause that worked so well last time," snorted Kraken.

"This time we'll be on our guard," said Space sharply, "We'll know what to do. When the battle comes up we'll have a plan."

"So we're facing people with a wide range of powers," she said.

Rumor looked Space up and down with something like sadness as he talked and argued. There was a strange glint in his eye as he spoke. He wasn't Luther anymore. He wasn't her first and secret love; he wasn't even Space right now. He was .01 again. Rumor sighed in frustration. Irritably she listened while her siblings argued and plotted. Whatever had passed on the roof was just that; it had passed.


	19. Chapter 19

Seventeen hours and thirty minutes before Sententia.

Vanya woke up slowly and stretched. As she did so she noticed that the room had stopped spinning. Smiling to herself she got off of her childhood bed. Well, childhood wasn't exactly the right word for it. More like most-of-her-life bed. She hadn't used it since she was in her late teens. Even so her legs had hung over the edge slightly. She had grown. Carefully she got off.

Stretching once more she walked to the window. A few beams of sunlight were creeping in slowly. Once again she was at the Academy and once more crazy shit was happening. It was the end of the world, again. When she was ten and she was told that she'd gotten scared and cried. Once she hid in her closet. When she had reached thirteen she just sort of shrugged and got on with what she was doing. So what if there was the possibility that the world was ending? Her siblings would just do what they did best and leave her alone when it was done

So that's what she did now, getting on with things. Outside she could hear birds singing. Things couldn't be so bad. Just like another day had dawned .It would be just like before. Everyone would panic for a few hours and then it would turn out that the world could be saved by the gentle application of Rousseau and the harsh application of Freddy Kruger.

Even so she knew that it would be different this time. She wasn't thirteen anymore. After she'd left the Academy she'd lived a normal life. Vanya actually had friends who didn't know that she was even related in any way shape or form with the Umbrella Academy. She'd gone to college and graduated with a degree in fine arts.

After that she'd lived her life. There had been jobs that she'd held down, admittedly only for a handful of years at a time. Vanya had even had a few boyfriends. Well, they had only been for a couple of months and nothing serious. Even more embarrassing to admit they'd all been blonde, had a tendency to forget to shave, and all of them possessed short tempers.

She smiled wryly as she thought about that. Even though they'd been together for a few months she hadn't told Kraken about that yet. All it could do was make it sound like there was something wrong with her. In any case, she had never felt 100% normal even in situations as normal as buying a newspaper or walking along the streets. Perhaps that's why she had bought the mace in the first place.

So in the end her lack of normality had brought her right back to the Academy. This wasn't a one way ticket though. It was two way and as soon as this was all over she'd be going home. So what if her new home wasn't exactly normal? At least that would admit to the fact that she wasn't normal. There was no way out of what she had been raised as. Yet if she couldn't find normality, then perhaps she could at least find happiness.

And she had found happiness with a rather unlikely figure. Happiness was happiness though and she welcomed it. Hell, that didn't mean that her relationship was perfect. Nothing was. She accepted that and enjoyed what she had though. For the first time in her life she was in a stable relationship where the person loved her and wanted to make sure she was happy. For the first time in her life she wanted the same thing for someone else.

Her eyes blurred as she realized that she wasn't quite awake yet. Honestly it wasn't much of a surprise. She'd been going from being awake to being asleep the night before. Usually she was a sound sleeper and was unaccustomed to such things. Scratching the back of her head she started to walk to the adjoining bathroom. A shower would wake her up.

She shivered as her bare foot stepped on the cold tile floor. Flipping on the switch she grabbed a towel. For a second she saw a dark figure out of the corner of the eye. The next thing she knew it felt like someone had stabbed her with an ice-cold needle in the neck. She gasped in surprise and pain. Then dark spots started to dance in front of her eyes and the tile floor rushed up to meet her.

.

.

.

"Well," said Georgiana as she placed the syringe back inside her briefcase, "That's that done."

She frowned as she looked at the unconscious girl. In all honesty Georgiana had no idea why Hargreeves had wanted the girl injected with that stuff. It had been hard enough to find her brachiocephalic vein in the first place, let alone the place where it flowed into the heart. No matter. Shrugging she stepped over her and out the door. She'd have to go out the same way she came in; through the window.

Hargeeves's will was now completed down to the last clause. He'd been terribly specific though and Georgiana found it irksome to have to do all of that. She'd even had to memorize the explanation he'd told her to give. It was thorough for them. Still, she had been his 'solicitor' and had followed his instructions to the letter. Most of it she had understood. The injection thing was odd though. He'd written something about livening up the game.

She'd wanted to do it the night before in the hope to get it all over with. Events though had seemed determined to foil her with giving the girl head trauma. Then no matter how long she waited outside the window people kept coming in. The Hargreeves might not seem like a functional family but she figured that they'd object to her sticking a needle into their sister's neck. Finally she had gotten her chance.

Georgiana lifted up the window. Soon spectators would be arriving and she'd have her hands full with air traffic control. Inferior species tended to panic when they saw the saucers. Lenore had probably been right. Just enslave them all. That was all that they were good for, the stupid creatures.

Things were just going to get busier from here. Being a viceroy in the greatest game ever played was both an honor and a hassle. She put her foot in the sill. Turning her head she gave one last glance at the girl on the floor. When she'd checked the board five minutes ago it still said that the Sentinels were winning.

During her life Georgiana had known both Lenore and Hargreeves. They were cunning, sadistic, and coldly calculating. All in all they were a credit to their species. Many of her colleagues had urged her to bet on one of them. At first she hadn't wanted to. She rarely bet on anything. In the end though she had acquiesced out of the urge to just shut them up.

It wasn't too late to change her bet until an hour before the game started. Even so she wanted to keep her money on the one she knew was the most ruthless, cruel, and dedicated to winning. She had bet on the one who would sacrifice anything and everything for the prize. In other words, her money was on Hargreeves.


	20. Chapter 20

Twelve hours and twenty seven minutes before Sententia.

"Sounds like a shitty plan to me," said Kraken as he rolled his eyes.

"Do you have any better ideas?" asked Space, raising his eyebrows, "Besides, we've been talking this over for hours."

Sometimes Kraken considered killing Space. He could do it suddenly and spontaneously without his brother having a clue of what was coming. Even so he didn't think that their forces should be depleted so close before the battle.

"It leaves too many eventualities uncovered," he said, "and I didn't think that you'd be willing to take that big of a risk."

"It's my risk to take," Rumor said irritably, "and I already said that I'd do it. So just go along with it."

"Well what about Vanya?" said Kraken, angrily changing the subject, "You said that they said to bring her with us. She can't fight and she's got head trauma."

"She's probably over it by now," observed .05, "And we could probably tuck her away in some convenient corner. As much as you hate taking orders would it be too much to ask for you try to cooperate just this once?"

Glaring at him Kraken wondered if he should add .05 to his list of people he wanted to kill. Much as he was loath to admit it the little midget had a point though.

"Fine," he muttered.

"Good," said Space, "We should all try to cast a little bit of rest. We're useless otherwise."

Shaking his head Kraken stalked up the steps for the umpteenth time in only a few hours. As far as he was concerned Vanya was the sanest person in this house at the moment. Who did Space think he was? He certainly wasn't their leader anymore. What was Kraken doing obeying him? He wasn't his team member anymore. Snorting to himself he opened the door. God he wished he wasn't near his siblings.

Kraken was about to go in when he remembered that Vanya might be up by this time. She did tend to like it if he knocked first. Women. Sighing he pounded the door a few times.

"Vanya?"

Nothing happened. Kraken frowned. Usually she answered. Tentatively he opened the door and peered inside. She wasn't in the room. The sheets were rumpled and the covers pulled back but she wasn't in the room. Even stranger still the window was open. Frowning once more he crossed the room and closed the window.

Then he heard a small groan. Whipping around he saw Vanya sunk to the bathroom floor, involuntary shivers racking her body. Quickly he picked her up.

"Vanya?" he said with a touch of panic, "Come one Vanya. Come on."

He let out a quick sigh of relief as her eyes fluttered open.

"Why's it so cold?" she asked groggily, shivering again.

"You left the window open," he said, "Did you trip or something?"

As he was speaking he shifted the arm holding her upper torso slightly. His arm touched up against her neck when he did so. Vanya let out a small cry of pain.

"What's wrong?" he asked sharply.

"I'm…I'm not sure," stammered Vanya, "My neck, it just really…really hurts…Where's all that noise…coming from? Was…there a car wreck?... Make it stop… please make it stop…"

Quickly Kraken pulled back her shirt where he had brushed up against. His eyes widened as he saw a big red puncture wound. As alarming as that seemed it was also surrounded by a white patch of skin. Even as he watched it was spreading.

.

.

.

"I can't really explain this," frowned .05.

"Try," growled Kraken.

Hours later the entire Hargreeves family was crowded together in the sick room. Vanya had been laid out on the bed still shivering and had broken out into a cold sweat. By now the white patch had spread so much so that even her hair was turning lighter. Vanya had had her eyes clenched shut for hours. When Rumor had last seen her open them the veins had turned an alarming red.

Rumor looked around the room. Attitudes ranged from apathetic, .05 and Séance, concerned, herself, Space, and Pogo, to downright furious, Kraken. There was something panicky about the way that he kept close to Vanya. Out of the corner of her eye she risked a look at Space. As selfish as it was to think of herself at a time like this she wished that Space would act with that kind of devotion around her.

"For some unknown reason electrons in her brain are exciting the cold receptors and the visual censors causing her to hallucinate," Pogo said gently, "hence the car wreck and classical music she keeps complaining about. But there's something else…"

"What?" Kraken snapped.

"What the good doctor is trying to tell you," said .05, "is that all of her bodily organs have begun shutting down."

For a second there was silence.

"Why?" hissed Kraken.

"As I said before," .05 sighed, "It's something that we can't explain. The puncture wound is obviously what caused it. But what caused that? It looks like a needle. But who would do that?"

"That's not the issue," snapped Kraken, "The issue is how you intend to fix it."

"We don't know the cause," said .05, "Hence we can't cure it. Don't you watch _House_?"

Once more there was silence.

"So you're saying that there's nothing we can do," said Kraken quietly.

"We're working on it," explained Pogo, "but we're just saying at the rate it's going then it seems like we won't be able to figure it out in time."

Once more Rumor saw the desperation in Kraken's eyes.

"Bach," Vanya whispered agitatedly, "Make it stop…"

Kraken grasped her hand and sat down beside her. There was something wild in his eyes.

"Diego…?" Rumor said gently.

"Get the fuck away," he snapped.

"Kraken-" started Space.

"No," said Rumor, "Let it go. Luther-"

Putting a hand on their shoulders she started to lead both of her brothers out of the room. The door behind them closed. Séance shrugged and started swaying from side to side down the hall. Rumor looked ahead at the wall in front of her. So Vanya was going to die. That seemed...odd. She hadn't seen her in over ten years and when she had she'd found out that Vanya was going to die.

No. She couldn't believe that that was happening. It wasn't because she was close to Vanya or anything. It was because she didn't believe that someone had just snuck in and injected Vanya of all people to kill. That was far too elaborate. No. The whole thing didn't make any sense.

"Rumor?" Space asked.

Snapping out of it she turned around and looked at him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she replied, "Just thinking."

"Want to share?"

"No."

"All right," he said.

Rumor paused for a second and looked him up and down.

".05 says the world's going to end with this game."

"No it isn't," said Space firmly.

"What if it was?" persisted Rumor, "And these were your last few hours, what would you do?"

"Rumor," he said, "I'm not quite sure where you're going with this-"

"Yes you do," she said, "Think about the roof. I just want to know."

"It doesn't matter," Space said as he started to walk off, "There are more important things to think about right now-"

"I heard a rumor that too much televator use can make your joints freeze up," said Rumor sharply.

Space gritted his teeth in pain and stopped walking. Rumor walked up in front of him and smacked him hard.

"You listen to me," she said, "For five minutes. Just listen. Do you know how to do that anymore? This is real life, all of it and I want to talk to you about it. So don't you dare say a word."

It was all Space could do to gape, let alone speak.

"Do you know that I liked what happened on the roof?" she said angrily, "I liked it and I wish that I'd listened to you before marrying Patrick. Even then I should've seen the warning signs. I should've followed my instincts. I should've just gone after you like I wanted too when I was fifteen."

"I shouldn't have married him. Hell, I shouldn't even have dated him. It shoudn't have been him. It should've been you! Claire should've been yours!"

At this his eyes widened but Rumor continued talking rapidly.

"But no, I wanted to do something normal. That was wrong though. See there's a very high probability that we're all going to die very soon. So I say screw normal," as she said this she adjusted her mask so that it showed more prominently on her face, "This is who we are and it's too late to run from it. If you want me then I'll want you. Now I heard a rumor that televator stiffness stops after five minutes."

Turning away Rumor walked down the hallway angrily.


	21. Chapter 21

Two hours and six minutes before Sententia.

"What a waste," murmured Georgiana.

"What?" asked one of her underlings.

Sighing Georgiana replied;

"All of this. Forty three years and endless stress for three hours of action tops. It's a wonder that this game is so popular."

"Well," he said uncertainly, "What it represents is the number of cards-"

"Do shut up," Georgiana snapped as she waved him away.

She watched him scuttle away with distaste. Georgiana didn't even know why she bothered sharing her thoughts with people obviously much stupider then her. Perhaps that was why she'd been promoted so quickly. Everyone around her thought in straight lines and nintey degree angles. She thought in curves.

Rubbing her temples she placed one of her hands on the armrest. Almost immediately she pulled it way in disgust. Investigating her suit she hissed as she saw the dark grey streak. The building hadn't been used in ages, let alone cleaned. Why had the Sentinels picked this place? Maybe it was for the drama. Yes, Icarus Theater certainly was very dramatic.

All of the cameras were in place. Millions of Stigandians would be tuning in shortly. Sententia was the highest watched program ever. The scientists and miners, those most inimately connected with what was going on, would get front row seats. Many others were watching from their spaceships. All of them would want their time and money's worth. They would want it to be dramatic.

Sighing again, she seemed to do that a lot around Sententia games, she pulled back her sleeve. Her designer watch read ten fifty-four. So very little time was left. It wouldn't be long now.

.

.

.

It wouldn't be long now. Already Vanya's breathing and heart rate were slowing. .05 had told him that the end was near few minutes ago. Already there was nothing he or anyone could do. Kraken looked at her dejectedly with a touch of anger. How dare the universe do this to her, to him, to **them**?

Pogo and .05 had cleared the room. Of that at least he had been glad. Even so she hadn't uttered a word or shown signs of conciousness in hours. Her life was going to slip away without even a murmur of protest. Only yesterday there had been nothing wrong with her. She'd been just like she'd always been. The day before that he thought he could spend the rest of his life with her. No more.

"I can hear something…" he heard her murmer, "…it sounds like angels…suffocating…it's terrifying…"

"Vanya?" he muttered as he placed a hand over her forehead.

Her eyes opened showing that they had changed to a horribly pale shade of blue. She almost managed to smile before wincing.

"It hurts…" she whispered.

"It's not going to in a minute," he said as he tried to choke back angry tears at what was happening to her.

Her hand moved forwards and gripped his, hard. Her skin felt like it was made of ice now.

"I'm really scared."

"No need to be," he muttered.

Something in her eyes told him that she knew what was happening to her. Her breath was coming in stuttering gasps now.

"I…I love you," she said faintly, "You…you know that…right?"

"Yes," he answered, "I know that. I love you too. **You** know that right?"

His attempt at humor wasn't lost and he heard her give a raspy chuckle.

"I know," she whispered, "I…I know."

.

.

.

Rumor someone knock on the door to her room. She'd only managed to catch a few hours of sleep and she was quite irritable. She'd thought that getting into the costume early would calm her nerves. Apparently it hadn't.

"Go away!" she called without turning around.

Her irritation reached a boiling point as she heard the door to her room open anyway. She should've locked the damn thing. Angrily she put down the mask that she was about to put on.

"What do you want?" she snapped as she turned around.

Surprise flooded her as she realized it was Space standing in the doorway. There was something new in his eyes that she had never seen before; uncertainty. What was that about? Was it the fact that he didn't really want to talk to her or he felt uncomfortable with the situation? Either way it didn't really matter.

"What do you want?" repeated Rumor, now slightly less angry but also a good deal colder.

Spaceboy paused for a minute as though trying to find the words.

"Screw normal?" he ventured uncertainly.

Rumor smiled. She walked forward and took his hand. It was big enough to fit both of hers in quite comfortably.

"Knew you'd come round."

.

.

.

Downstairs Vanya flatlined. Kraken had felt her hand lose its grip seconds before the beeping of the machines started. He gripped her hand tighter and bowed his head. His teeth clenched in anger and grief at the aprupt turn that events had taken. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It shouldn't have happened.

Letting go of her hand he placed it gently beside her. Then he let a few tears escape the prison he had kept most of his emotions in since he was seventeen. He didn't notice the sudden spike in the machines until they shut off from being overloaded. It even took him a couple minutes to look at her face.

The White Violin had opened her eyes.


	22. Chapter 22

Forty three minutes before Sententia.

"I really don't understand," said .05 as he scratched his head, looking surprised for the first time since Séance had seen him, "By all accounts she should be pushing daisies right now."

The Hargreeves were back in the medical ward. Now though it was less of a sickbed/deathbed and more of a what-the-hell-is-going-on-bed. Séance edged a little closer curiously. Things were finally getting interesting enough for him. Hopefully his valuable services would be required soon.

"Well she's not," snapped Kraken defensively.

"Hold your horses Romeo," .05 as he raised his eyebrows, "You might also notice that she's not responding to anything we're saying. All she's doing right now is blinking. Normally I'd say that it's some sort of involuntary action caused by the brain cells not dying in their proper sequence. That's what should happen for a few minutes. But she's been doing it for hours."

"Hours are something we don't have," Space said as he shook his head, "We've got minutes until the game starts or we forfeit Earth. Seeing as I don't want to do that it seems like we should get going."

"What about Vanya?" asked Pogo.

"We have to take her with us," shrugged Space.

"In her condition?" Kraken snapped.

"If she's alive she has to come. Or we forfeit," said Space.

"How do you intend to do this?" said .05, "Figure out she's alive that is. Not even **I'm** one hundred percent sure what the hell is going on with her. Besides, the machines are broken."

Space nodded to Séance.

"See if you can get a response."

"Thought you'd never ask," he smirked.

Slowly he put a hand to her forehead. Oh yes, he could see a mind there. Only it didn't look like any mind he'd been in, dead or alive though. There was the usual thoughts he'd gotten from her mind before when he'd read it behind her back. Now though but they were obscured by something like a veil. As he digged deeper he saw that it was more like a sheet with movable music notes.

The music notes felt like thoughts though from the way that they moved. They showed black as night on a snow-white sheet of paper. The margins were written in dark ruby-red blood. Somewhere something was playing the tune. At first it was playing softly. Then it started getting louder and louder. It sounded like a violin playing; only he couldn't be sure.

Each note sounded like a whirlpool of madness and destruction. B, B, C, G, G, C, B, A in quick succession. With each and every note he felt himself getting drawn to the music. The tune should've been cheerful and magnificent. Instead it felt like every nightmare he'd ever had on acid and compressed into one.

The whole thing sounded terrible. Even so all he wanted to do was lose himself in it. A, A, B, G, A, B, C, B, G. Like quicksand beneath him he could feel his legs sinking slowly as the music started to swallow him up. Everything was becoming crescendos and staccatos in one big messy swirl. The world he knew was becoming less and less like a real place and more and more like a drea-

"SÉANCE!"

Séance blinked and quickly removed his hand. He looked up and blinked again at his siblings who were all staring at him.

"You were screaming Séance," said Space by way of an explanation, "Did you managed to make contact?"

"Man," said Séance, "That is one fucked-up mind she's got right now."

"I'll take that as a no," Space said coolly, "Either way that means she's alive. It seems that we'll just have to carry her."

.

.

.

"Speak roughly to your little boy, and beat him when he sneezes. He only does it to annoy, because he knows it teases!" sang Cat cheerfully as she twirled back and forth on the carpeted floor with ballet shoes.

"Cat-" started Comet.

"Let her be," said Reaper, "It's nearly out of her system. She'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Wow, wow, wow!" trilled Cat.

Cat twirled around shakily like a drunken ballerina. She tripped on her long dress and fell on the floor. She blinked once before giggling and getting up. Almost immediately she resumed her graceless dance.

Arkady straightened his mask and turned to Reaper.

"So you don't think that Music Box is a threat anymore?"

"I speak severely to my boy," continued Cat, "I beat him when he sneezes-"

"Keep an eye open," he said, "but from what I've seen it looks like their .01 is going to be our biggest threat. I'll take care of him. .02 is unpredictable so keep a close eye on him. No more freaking out Arkady. If things get bad ask Comet to come over. Alchemist you stay on Perjurer like we planned. Remember, I'll take care of it if it all goes wrong."

"For he can then thoroughly enjoy," sang Cat, "the pepper when he pleases!"

"What?" Alchemist pouted, "She's boring. She didn't use her power once when I fought her. Why can't I take another one, like the pale one or something? He looks like he'd put up a decent fight-"

"Wow, wow, wow!" finished Cat in a spectacular twirl, her arms reaching towards the ceiling.

"Stick to the plan," Reaper said sharply, "As for you Comet, you're our tag team. Help anyone who needs it. You're also in charge of making sure that their .04 can't get to Cat again. She's our best defense."

Reaper turned to Cat.

"You know what you're supposed to do."

Suddenly Cat's cheerful and giggly mood disappeared. Her face fell and something like fear flickered across it. She walked up to Reaper and grabbed the front of his jacket, gripping it desperately like a drowning man would grip a lifeline.

"If you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later," she pleaded desperately.

"You know what you're supposed to do," repeated Reaper coldly.

Blinking once Cat let go of his jacket.

"I understand," she said softly.

"Good," said Reaper, giving a semi-cheerful smile, "Then let's get going."

.

.

.

"Everyone is here yes?" Georgiana asked brightly.

The Sentinels stood off to one side, glaring coldly at the Umbrella Academy. The feelings and looks were mutual.

"All accounted for," said Reaper smoothly.

Space gave a cursory glance to the rest of the group. .05 was busy loading bullets into his gun with one hand and flipping Hargreeves's old monocle in the air and catching it. With the other Kraken kept looking at Vanya who was standing by herself off to the side. Someone had thrown a coat over her shoulders and she stood limply without taking in the scene. Nervously Rumor tried to think about what she was going to be responsibe. Séance was counting the rainbows.

"Same here," he said.

"Good," said Georgiana, "this is live feed. Now, team leaders shake hands."

Reaper and Space shot looks at her which plainly said that they wouldn't.

"It's traditional," she said, her smile becoming brittle, "Part of the proceedings."

Reluctantly Space put out his hand. Reaper gripped it a tad firmer then he needed too. Space did so back and it looked more like they were trying to break each other's fingers then exchange pleasantries.

"You can let go now," said Georgiana, smiling brighter, "Now you all know the rules. Complete annihilation and you win."

Reaper shot her a look.

"That's not what you told us."

The Umbrella Academy turned and looked at her. Georgiana laughed nervously.

"All right, all right. If you have two members of your group left then you automatically lose as you won't have as many people to continue."

"You didn't tell **us** that," said Space sharply.

Georgiana shrugged.

"Hargreeves didn't tell me to."

Space was about to say something when Georgiana smoothly cut in;

"Now is there anything you wish to say to each other before you start?"

"We have someone who can't fight back," said Space with a nod at Vanya, "she can't move without instruction. We would appreciate it if she could sit at the sidelines."

Almost curiously Reaper looked at Vanya. She stared listlessly ahead of her. Kraken moved a little closer to her, almost protectively.

"She looks different," he said, "what happened?"

"We have no idea," said Space, "No one was with her when it did."

"They can't even keep track of their own siblings!" laughed Alchemist.

"Alchemist," said Reaper reproachfully, "In any case, if she doesn't attack us then we won't attack her. It's agreed."

Carefully Kraken lead Vanya over to a theater chair wher he applied faint pressure to her shoulders. Almost immediately she sat down.

"Anything else?" Georgiana asked.

"Yeah," said Kraken, "Go to hell."

"Well then," said Georgiana smiling again and stepping backwards, "I suppose that means you can begin."


	23. Chapter 23

Sententia in progress.

As soon as the words left Georgiana's mouth Comet picked up Cat and ran. No one saw where she went, least of all Rumor. She was too occupied with her mission. Space gave her a quick motion with his hand and she slipped into the shadows. For the first time in years she felt a fighting thrill and adrenaline. She hoped it would stay.

Quickly she went back stage and started climbing the service ladder. It creaked ominously and Rumor paused. She waited for a minute to see if anyone had heard and was following her. When she didn't hear anyone she resumed climbing. Her destination; the stage lights.

Sounds of fighting echoed through the theater far below her. She felt confident that it was okay. None of her siblings would be stupid enough to get themselves killed, at least not yet. She even heard what sounded like damage being inflicted on the other side. Maybe they wouldn't even need what she was about to do. Fat chance she would be that lucky though.

Rumor tried not to look down. She had never been afraid of heights before, not even as a small child, but suddenly she decided that it was time to start. Not only was the service walkway very high up but it was also in disrepair. Everything looked like it would fall down with the slightest pressure. Cautiously she edged her way along the walkway towards the lights. Her hand rested on the switch and she took a deep breath. Even though she kept telling herself not to she hazarded a glimpse of the battle.

.

.

.

Georgiana walked carefully along the fringes of the battle with a black suitcase in her hand. No one noticed her. They were far too wrapped up with what they were doing. She couldn't blame them. Under any other circumstances she would've been watching intently like everyone else. So far it looked amazing.

She could see Space battling Reaper and already bleeding heavily. Reaper on the other hand looked cool and confident. This was probably for the fact that the shadow of Ghost was effectively blocking all of Space's blows. Doing so was becoming harder for her though as Séance had joined his brother. Now Reaper and Ghost had to deal with two of the Hargreeves.

The rest of the Umbrella Academy was faring slightly better. Kraken hadn't managed to inflict much damage on the fire-producing Phoenix but neither had Phoenix managed to land a blow. Over to the side .05's time jumps and Comet's speed were basically cancelling each other out.

What could you expect? Lenore and Hargreeves had chosen their pawns well. Only one more thing was left to do. Her heels clicked on the aisle as she walked up to the motionless Vanya. It was interesting how her skin had turned that color. She should've taken a sample of what was in that vial.

She set down the suitcase next to Vanya. Vanya didn't look up or react. Georgiana shrugged her shoulders and turned away. She needed to get back to her viewing spot. She decided that she was going to delegate solicitation out to someone else after this. Hargreeves's tasks had been just too odd. For instance, what she was doing now. If he knew that this was going to happen, then why did he want her to give a violin to a comatose girl? Madness.

.

.

.

Something seemed wrong. Rumor slowly she counted the Cains as the battle raged below her. One, two, three, four. Only two of them died before Sententia stared. Where was the fifth?

"Hell-oooooooo?!" sang a voice on the other side of the lights.

Rumor looked up to see Alchemist waving at her from the other side.

"Shit," she muttered.

"You are hard to find," she said as she started walking down the service walkway, "Do you know that?"

Edging her hand along the controls Rumor flipped the switch for the lights. They came on, still blazing hard after all of their years of neglect. All of them lit up the stage where no one was fighting. At least she was lucky in that respect.

"Whoo!" shouted Alchemist, "Puh-retty! In any case, I have to kill you so I can get on with better and more interesting things. It would be too much to ask you to hold still, wouldn't it?"

Rumor glared at her.

"I heard a rumor that after years of disuse lights can spontaneously combust when air is fanned into them by say, walking by."

The light next to Alchemist exploded in a shower of burning sparks. Alchemist screamed and quickly covered her face. Rumor used the opportunity to complete her real mission.

"I heard a rumor that light weakens supporting beams."

Alchemist started to get up. Burns decorated the right side of her face with nasty red marks and rapidly forming blisters.

"I liked that face," she hissed as she pulled off one of her gloves and turned it into a rather large knife, "I'm gonna fucking kill you."

"I heard a rumor that Icarus was constructed on an unusual plan," said Rumor rapidly as Alchemsit advanced, faster this time, "It was made so that the supporting beams for the western part were built on the stage."

OA crash was heard from the western part of the buidling. Slowly but with the force of thunder the roof started to collapse. Alchemist shrieked with rage. She leapt from the service area and ran towards the stage. On the way out she lashed out at Rumor with her knife. Out of shock rather then instinct Rumor clutched her throat as it bled. Alchemist hurried past her.

.

.

.

.05 heard the roof coming down before he saw it. He twisted sideways to avoid Comet's foot and moved as far way as possible. Space and Kraken abandoned their fight and ran to the 'safe' area in the eastern section. .05 barely had time to register that he was standing next to Vanya before the roof went down in an explosion of plaster and dust.

When it all cleared he saw that Ghost had thrown herself over Comet and Reaper. Alchemist had turned the pieces of rubble that had fallen towards her into daffodils.

"Arkady!" she screamed.

A small moan answered from somewhere inside the wreckage. Yet .05 wasn't listening. It was completely unimportant now whether Phoenix was alive or not. There was only one thing that really mattered. Like his siblings, he knew that it t was time to press their advantage.

As Ghost stood there in shock Space quickly hit Reaper across the face. Kraken went to assist and Séance and .05 went for a combined attack on Comet. As fast as the girl was it would be difficult to avoid two Hargreeves when she was dazed. Kraken's knife met her shoulder and her blood splattered in a large arc.

.

.

.

Drops of Comet's blood splattered on Vanya's face. Slowly as if in a dream Vanya raised her arm and touched some drop with the tip of her finger. Still expressionless she pulled it away and examined the red dot on her pale skin. Her head cocked to the side. She looked at it for a few minutes without blinking. Slowly a smile both innocent and insane spread across her face.

.

.

.

Rumor was loosing blood and the world was becoming hazy. It seeped out through her gloved hands in crimson bubbles. Rumor was going to bleed to death like a stuck pig if she didn't do something fast. Trying to think clearly she wondered what to do. She was having trouble getting anything to work, let alone her vocal chords. It hurt so much. Was this how she was going to die? She didn't want to die. Not now, and definitely not this way.

She wanted to see her daughter enter the second grade. She wanted to get back at Patrick somehow. She'd planned something to do with paint and luggage. Rumor wanted to run off and be herself in the only profession that had ever seemed right. She was only thirty. There had to be something she could do to avoid this. Everything was swirling around her now.

Summoning up strength from somewhere she choked out the almost indistinguishable whisper;

"I heard a rumor it's impossible to die from throat wounds."

She hoped it worked.

.

.

.

A column of flames alerted Séance that their pyro-maniac friend had woken up. He tapped Space on the shoulder to draw his attention to it seconds before it reached them. Séance jerked himself to the side in an effort to get out of the way. Even so it still singed his coat. How dare he!? That was his fucking best coat!

Space hadn't been quite so lucky as his whole body was like a coat. He howled in pain from the flames just as Reaper managed to dig his scythe into his arm. A long gash ran down the full length of his arm. It was probably the deepest wound Séance had ever seen. He could see that even the bone had been damaged.

Once more a cry of pain had come from Space. Of course, his other siblings weren't faring much better. Phoenix had resumed his war with Kraken and Comet had recovered from her wound. She looked at him for a minute. Almost immediately he heard felt his feet get kicked out from under him.

Séance stumbled back blindly. Ever one to press her advantage Comet moved forwards and gave him a kick that knocked his knees from under him. Or the soles of his shoes anyway. Before he knew it he was on the floor with what was most likely a terrible bruise forming on the back of his head. Quite reasonably he told himself that he had bigger things to worry about as Comet pulled a large hunting knife from her boot.

One thing you could say about Comet was that she didn't go in for dramatics. None of that silly raising the dagger insanely high over the head for her. She just started to push it downwards where his heart would be. Wanting to be sure to be able to tell all of his new dead friends about his death he kept his eyes open. Seconds later he wished he hadn't.

Instead of being stabbed in the stomach he heard a long, drawn out violin chord. Almost immediately following it was shower of intestines and blood. The blood got into his eyes and made them sting like a mother. When he finally stopped cursing to himself and wiped it out he managed to look at everyone else. They had abandoned their fights and were staring in horror.

His sister had gotten up. She'd gotten rid of the long overcoat and simply wore her floor-sweeping nightgown. It was definitely too big for her and it slipped down to expose one of her shoulders. She didn't seem to mind though. From her poise he might've thought that she was playing in a concert instead of a war zone. She looked at what was left of Comet and smiled.

"Practice makes perfect," The White Violin said.


	24. Chapter 24

Sententia in progress.

Georgiana clapped slowly along with the rest of the spectators. The members of both teams looked at her, each with an equal measure of horror. To the White Violin they reminded her of dolls whose faces had been contorted somehow, most likely by fire or suchlike.

"Now I get Hargreeves's requests," Georgiana said, "Terribly clever. She is the Music Box, quite literally."

There were a few scattered laughs from the other spectators. The White Violin looked glassily at her and Kraken clenched his fists

"You did this to her?" he growled.

"Your father asked for it," she shrugged, "I didn't know that it would produce such amazing results. Fascinating, isn't it? He really was a genius. He's probably bowing in his grave right now."

"It really hurt," said The White Violin, still smiling, "Sometimes it hurt so much that I couldn't even scream."

"He put down that it might," said Georgiana, "He said that there were other, more violent methods, but he preferred to-"

Georgiana was cut off in every sense of the phrase. All it took was a quick twitch of The White Violin's bow for the alien viceroy to go all over the walls. Gorgeous shades of blue and gray cascaded like a monochromatic rainbow all over the theater walls. It looked like a finger painting she had done once. How marvelous. She'd have to try that again. Nodding to herself she said;

"Two down is a pretty good warm-up. I think that I'm ready to begin the recital."

Phoenix cast an almost furtive glance at the remains of his sister. Comet was almost mangled beyond recognition. Very good for her first try, although she preferred the results produced from her second. Small flames started to appear around his hands.

"Phoenix," Reaper said, "Don't-!"

He issued the warning too late. A large tunnel of fire swirled towards The White Violin. With matchless grace she twirled out if its way before striking another chord. Once more a burst of blood followed it. Everything was too easy. She should try something more complicated this time. So instead of stopping she continued playing. Almost like accompanying percussion a low rumbling started from the ground.

"I've never been this good before," she said as she played, "Let's see if I can bring the house down."

.

.

.

Kraken looked at The White Violin.

"Vanya," he said slowly.

"This is my first recital you've been to you know," she said as she continued playing, "This is the first recital any of you have been to actually. Touching. I've only been waiting for twenty years."

Some of the ceiling started to fall down around her. Even if they ran now there was no way they'd be able to get out before the building collapsed.

"It looks like we're all going to be crushed in here," she said thoughtfully, "Won't that be great? Doesn't really matter though. We're all going to die anyway."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Sentinels whispering to each other. They weren't his concern right now though. In fact all of his siblings were concerned only with Vanya. He saw .05 taking something out of his pocket. Was that Hargreeves's monocle? It didn't matter. Only one thing mattered to him. Slowly he started walking towards her.

"Put down the violin," he said carefully.

"Why?" she asked as he saw a pillar fall forward, "It's the only thing I'm good at. Everyone here knows that."

"That's not true," Kraken replied as he took another cautious step, "Put down the violin."

"It's no good trying to reason with her," sighed .05 as he looked around with the monocle over his eye, "The formula did something to her mind. She literally is not herself right now. She'll kill us all without even thinking about it."

"Well then. Vanya," said Space as he leveled his laser gun, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

Kraken shot him a glare so full of venom and hatred that they'd never even seen him give Hargreeves. Space took a step back, surprised.

"Simple," answered The White Violin, "Because I know Diego won't let you. Because he loves me."

"Vanya-" Kraken tried.

"Because I love you," she continued, oblivious to all else, "That's what I told you when I thought I was going to die. Now we won't have any of those in-between times. Won't it be better this way? Won't it be better then just going home and pretending to be a big happy family?"

With an earth shattering blam The White Violin crumpled to the floor, gray blood seeping out of her skull.

"Now that was a good shot," said .05 to himself.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" screamed Kraken as he closed the space between himself and Vanya's still form.

"What you would've done if you'd had the brass," .05 said coolly, "Don't worry. I'm too good for that bullet to have actually killed her."

It seemed that Kraken didn't want to hear explanations. Almost frantically he gathered her up and tried to stem the blood flow.

"I'm…really scared," she murmured, struggling to keep her eyes open, "I don't think….I don't want…to go…I'm sorry…"

"I'm not fucking losing you again!" snarled Kraken to the universe in general as he ripped his shirt and started to bandage her head.

"Either way it's over," said .05, obviously irritated that no one had congratulated him on his excellent shot.

"Think again," said Reaper from one of the balconies.

.

.

.

Reaper looked upwards at the open ceiling at the stars.

"I can see their life lines you know," he said calmly, "I can see the lifelines of any material. I can cut them from here. I wonder what would happen if I picked that one?"

As he spoke he pointed towards one of the stars. Alchemist nodded excitedly next to him.

"Don't be stupid," Space said, "That would kill you too."

"No," he said, still squinting and pointing, "We have Ghost to save us. She's covering us right now so shooting us would be rather counter-productive. Buckle in."

"You're being ridiculous," said .05.

Despite his nonchalant mood he actually was rather nervous. Was this how the world supposed to end? Getting crushed by a star? Oh shit.

"I doubt that she's that strong," he lied, hoping that perhaps it was all just a bluff.

"Either way my siblings' deaths will be avenged," he shrugged with a glint of anger in his eyes, "I think it's quite fair that you should lose the rest of your family seeing as most of mine is gone."

Space jumped forward but Reaper made a slashing motion in the air with his scythe. Rumbling started in the air.

"There's the first seven done," he said as he raised it again.

"Neil! Stop it!"

Everyone looked to the side to see Cat on an opposing balcony where Comet had put her at the beginning of the fight. Unlike before it seemed she was in her own body.

"Stop it all," she said, tears trickling down her face, "Haven't we lost enough?"

"Cat," he said firmly, "Get over here now."

"No!" she yelled, clenching her fists.

All of the Umbrella Academy looked uncertainly between the Cains, trying to figure out what they should do. Pointless drama in .05's opinion.

"You can't do this to the world!" yelled Cat before pointing at the members of the Umbrella Academy, "They got a terrible deal from the world too but they haven't tried to destroy it! Just let it go! Forfeit this stupid game and let it go!"

The rumbling was getting louder and Reaper had to practically scream his reply.

"Cat, you're not in your right mind right now. Get over here! That's an order!"  
"No!" Cat yelled again.

"Athena, go get her!"

"Stay there!" shouted Cat, "Or I'll-"

Cat took out a revolver from a pocket in her dress and pointed it to her head.

"If you have only two players then you can't win," she said, her hand shaking.

"Calm down," said Reaper with an edge of panic, "You'll see this isn't right-"

"**This** isn't right," she said, still crying, "I love you but I won't help you with this. Not this time. I can't and I won't. Now will you or won't you stop?"

"Cat," he said frantically, "Don't do anything crazy, okay?"

Cat smiled sadly with a note of finality in her eyes.

"Don't be silly;" she said shakily, "We're all mad here."

Before Reaper could even utter a syllable Cat had pulled the trigger. A shower of blood erupted and Cat sank blissfully to her knees.

"CAT!" Reaper screamed.

Alchemist started forward in confusion before she clapped her hand over her eyes as she sobbed. All of the Hargreeves stared at the new turn of events. One of the spectators sighed and made a little mark on his clipboard.

"Guess it's over now," he sighed.

He was immediately liquidized by Spaceboy's gun. .05 raised his eyebrows.

"Sick bastards," Space hissed at the direction of the spectators, "This is entertaining to you? You **liked** this? What's the matter with you?"

"I could say the same about you," said another spectator, "Perjurer's been dying on the service walkway for ten minutes and no one's done anything. Terrible form."

With inhuman speed Spaceboy disappeared into the upper recesses of the theater. The rumbling had continued all through prior events and was now reaching a fever pitch.

"What's that sound?" .05 yelled.

"Humans have three lifelines," muttered Reaper, sounding like he had all of the emotion drained out of him and had been left only with apathy, "They all go to the heart. But I only need to cut two of them. Stars have ten. They can't stay up with only three."

"Meaning?" asked .05 as his blood turned to ice.

Reaper looked at him with the look of a man who didn't care anymore.

"Meaning that it'll fall anyway."

"WHAT?!" screamed .05

He looked up to see the star falling towards the theater.

"I hate this game," he sighed.

Everything exploded in plaster and wood dust. A cloud of white obscured .05's vision and he waited for the impact to kill him with bone shattering pain. Strangely enough it didn't. He hazarded to open his eye a crack. He was actually pleasantly surprised with what he saw.

Séance was standing with his hand outstretched in front of him with a rather stunned expression on his face. Only inches in front of his hand was the cratered hunk of star, held their by Séance's telekinetic abilities.

"Fascinating," smiled .05 crazily, "We're still alive."


	25. Chapter 25

_End of Sententia. _

_Result report_

_Game time: Three hours_

_Fatalities: 3_

_Casualties: 2_

_Winner: The Umbrella Academy_

_Verdict: Earth is to be used as a preserve handled by Hargreeves's pawns. They can give or restrict access as they wish. So far they have restricted any and all access of Stignadians to the planet known as Earth._

"You got them both?" asked Séance as he cleaned his nails.

It was two days after the end of Sententia and Séance was standing with Lupo in the City's hospital. Lupo would've preferred talking to Kraken or even Spaceboy but instead he'd gotten the substance-abusing Goth brother. Lupo had asked where the others were at the beginning of the conversation. Séance had shrugged before saying;

"They're downstairs with their _girlfriends_."

Lupo had then thought it wise to let the matter drop.

"Yeah," said Lupo as he lit a cigarette.

A doctor walked by Lupo and tapped him on the shoulder.

"We have a no-smoking policy," he said, "I'm afraid that it's zero tolerance."

"I have a no-hitting doctors policy," said Lupo as he narrowed his eyes, "But unlike you I'm willing to make an exception."

The doctor quickly scuttled off.

"So what'll happen to the Cain siblings?" asked Séance.

"Conspiracy to commit world destruction became a crime back in '76," said Lupo, "Which means they automatically get the death penalty. In effect tonight."

He took a deep breath in of the cigarette before asking;

"So how're your sisters?"

"Allison might've been fine," said Séance vaguely, "but then she spoke. Saved her life but destroyed the chance of her vocal chords getting repaired. It's funny really."

Séance actually cackled unpleasantly after he said that. Shuddering inwardly Lupo asked;

"And the other one?"

"Don't know," shrugged Séance, "She hasn't woken up yet. Now I'm running late for my appointment at the beauty salon. So anything else unusual to report?"

"Orderlies claimed that when they were going to pull the plug on a comatose vegetable she changed appearance and ran out," answered Lupo noncommittally.

"It appears that they have a no-smoking policy but not a no-drinking one," Séance chortled as he walked off.

.

.

.

"We know you're concerned Mr. Hargreeves, but-" started the doctor.

Pogo laid a restraining hand on Kraken's arm as he pulled it back in an attempt to hit the doctor. The look he gave Pogo was filled with frustration and anger. Nonetheless Pogo shook his head firmly. It would do no good to go around hitting doctors. Letting out an angry breath Kraken backed down. Then he looked back at Vanya, laid out and still on a hospital bed.

The doctors had operated on her as soon as she got to the hospital. They hadn't removed the bullet for fear of causing further damage though. They'd been told that they were confident that no real damage had been done to either her memory or her motor abilities. However, they doubted if she would ever play the violin again. He'd told them that that wasn't important.

A sudden spike in her heart rate sent the three doctors in the room running. Kraken stood behind them, careful to stay out of their way. One of the doctors was looking at her vital signs and nodding approvingly. Pogo heard Kraken's breath catch. At least it was all over now.

"She's waking up," one of them said.

Once more Kraken moved forward a little as Vanya's eyes fluttered open.

"How's it going?" he asked as he gave her a relieved grin.

A look of sheer confusion passed over her eyes.

"Who are you?"

Kraken's look froze in place.

"Who are any of you?" she said, looking around frantically, "Why can't I move?"

"Calm down," one of the doctors said, looking nervous himself.

"Is this temporary?" asked Pogo, concerned, "You said that nothing was wrong."

"That's what we thought. Apparently we were wrong," said the doctor slowly, "As for if it's temporary, probably not considering where the bullet was."

"Are you saying that all of this is permanent?" Kraken asked sharply.

"Movement no, memory yes," replied the doctor, "I'm unsure if she'll ever regain any of them at all if this continues. You see, I suppose the bullet-"

"What bullet? Where am I?" Vanya asked with fear and panic creeping into her voice, "Oh God, what's my name?"

As the doctors argued and tried to reassure her Pogo suddenly noticed that Kraken wasn't in the room anymore. He saw the door to the room swinging back and forth like someone had opened it in a hurry. Adopting the same look of distress and resignation he had developed over the years of watching the Hargreeves he went after him.

It took him awhile to catch up to him as he stomped down the hall resolutely.

"Diego-" he said.

"Don't even start," growled Kraken.

"It's not her fault," Pogo said, struggling to keep up with Kraken.

"Do you think I'm some sort of moron?" Kraken snapped back, "I know it's not."

"Diego listen-" Pogo started again.

"No!" snarled Kraken as he whirled around, "You listen to me for once!"

Pogo started as Kraken's voice changed from an angry hiss to a furious shout. A few of the doctors looked concerned and started to edge away.

"A long time ago I gave up on seeing her again," he hissed, "Then she ends up on my doorstep and says she loves me. I thought the universe was saying something to me. I was happy. For the first time in my fucking life I was **HAPPY**!"

Involuntarily Pogo stepped a step backwards at Kraken's onslaught. A fire and fury blazed in Kraken's eyes, fury at the world.

"Now all of it's gone," he hissed, "I love her and she doesn't even remember who I am! **She'll never recognize me!** How would you feel if you had everything taken away from you and it was still there at the same time?"

Pogo didn't say anything. He didn't dare.

"I was right about one thing at least," Kraken hissed, "The universe is speaking to me. And do you know what its saying? It's saying fuck you Diego, fuck you."

With that Kraken stormed down the hall, shoving a medical gurney out of his way and into the wall as he went. Pogo sighed.

.

.

.

Rumor had been non-responsive since she realized that her voice was gone. Even so Space visited every day. He tried to get a response out of her by saying that the Eiffel Tower had crushed their backyard. Any closer and it might've destroyed the house. From the look she had given him it told him that she didn't believe him, even though it was actually true.

Tiredly he looked at the time. There was a lot to be done, mostly in the way of sleeping arrangements. Hargreeves had long since turned .05's bedroom into a pool room so now he didn't have anywhere to sleep. .05 was protesting that he should get the Horror's room seeing as he no longer used it. Despite the practicality, if not rather coldness, of the demand Space was refusing to grant it. That had led to some rather drawn out arguments with his brother. Sighing he got up to leave.

Just as he got up he thought he heard a faint scratching sound. He turned around to see Rumor finish writing something down. She showed it to him with slight desperation in her eyes. It simply read;

"Don't leave me."

Spaceboy shook his head and sat back down again.

"Never."

.

.

.

Late that night a phone rang. Kraken made a snatch for it as Space came in through the front door. Yawning he rubbed his eyes. Kraken hadn't slept in days and the stress was beginning to show. In a monotone he said;

"If you have this number you've got a problem."

"Hey Kraken," sighed Lupo, "Yes, we have a problem."

"Spill."

"The Cain siblings escaped their execution," Lupo said, "Reaper killed the lock and they killed the guards. We've got some hounds but we're not particularly hopeful."

"I thought that he wasn't allowed anything as sharp as a spoon," growled Kraken, "He was on suicide watch. And what about the fifty snipers you had guarding them?"

"Somehow he got something. As for the snipers, most of them are dead," Lupo replied, "but both of the survivors say that it seemed like...you're not going to like this."

"What?" snapped Kraken.

"Like a ghost was protecting them."

"I'll get on it," sighed Kraken.

Hanging up he turned to Spaceboy.

"What did he want?" asked Space.

"Remember that time," said Kraken as he tapped his fingers on the wooden phone stand, "where the freezers in that ice-cream factory were getting stolen in an attempt by Captain Penguin to start a new ice age?"

"Yeah," said Space, the corners of his mouth twitching, "But what does this have to do with anything?"

"Just hear me out. Then do you remember how we ate all the ice-cream in the place in celebration," Kraken continued, "and ended up barfing up and down the halls for the next five days?"

"That really killed the win," laughed Space.

"This is kind of like that," Kraken said, "Cains escaped."

"Can't say I'm surprised," shrugged Space.

"Hmm," said Kraken as he twirled his knife effortlessly between his fingers, "Neither am I. But now it appears that there are two very powerful enemies who probably want us all dead and a city on the brink of chaos from the after effects of that star."

He tilted his head at Spaceboy.

"It looks like you've got your work cut out for you flyboy," he said nastily.

Space turned around and walked towards the kitchen.

"We sure do," he replied.

He decided to start by making a sandwich.


End file.
